Unholy Crusade: Act 2
by Masquerade
Summary: The hunt for Imperfect Cell continues as Selena and her small band roam the Irish planes for the man-eating monster! But will Selena be undone by her greatest foe before she kills him? Includes an end of episode bonus after each chapter! ON HOLD!
1. Child's Play! The Elevin Year Old Warrio...

Unholy Crusade 

Act 2: Breaking Point

  
  
Chapter 1: Child's Play! The Eleven-Year-Old Warrior  
  
The school bus was roaming through the dirt roads of the Spice county side, searching for a town where the children could stretch their legs. The bands of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were starting to get noisy and restless, and it was driving the bus driver nuts! There were times she was so stressed into driving the bus into a water-filled ditch and shutting the children up, but she kept herself under control.  
  
Soon, a road sign popped up alongside the road. The nearest town, Cloves Town, was just a couple miles away. The driver sighed with relief.  
  
_Finally.  
  
The bus needs gas, the kids need leg room, and I need a cigarette....  
  
****************  
  
The eleven-year-old girl stared out the window in boredom, being the only quiet one on the bus. She had every reason to be.  
  
__I hate museum trips.  
  
There's nothing but a bunch of paintings, statues, pots, and all that crap.  
  
_

_Nothing exciting about that stuff!  
  
I wish we could take field trips to a fighting tournament or a WWF match for once!  
  
Why do we have to go do boring stuff?  
  
She saw the road sign for Cloves and heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
"Excuse me!" she called to the bus driver. "Can we stop at Cloves?! I have to use the restroom!"  
  
"Way ahead of you, dear!" The bus driver called back with a wave. The girl had to smile.  
  
__Thank you, God.....  
  
*****************  
  
A mile away, in Cloves, Selena was walking the empty streets. Clothes were strewed everywhere, and there was not one form of life to be seen. Cell had struck again, and the pain in her arm detected it all too late. It would be a matter of time before Piccolo and Tien got here to investigate, and Selena knew how it would all turn out in Piccolo's case.  
  
"Selena, you ignorant juvenile," she mimicked out in a Piccolo-style voice and flapping her hand up and down like it was a mouth, "blah, blah, blah.....you shouldn't be doing this.....blah, blah, blah.....you could get killed.....blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...." She slapped the hand puppet with her other hand. "Oh, shut up, Namek!" she snapped in her normal voice. "You think I'm stupid?! That I don't know the risks?!"  
  
She groaned, nursing her swollen hand.  
  
"C'mon out, Cell......I'm tired of having to look for you like this......ow.....maybe I shouldn't have hit my hand that hard....."  
  
She looked down at her hand, seeing the ki jewel shine in the light above her. It seemed to wink at her in confidence. Selena smiled at it and stopped walking. She plopped onto a nearby bench seat and looked at her hands.  
  
She couldn't help but remember the conversations that were held in the Sacred City just three days ago......_

………  
  
_"Selena, after all the damage you took, and after all the pain you felt, you still want to do this?!"  
  
"Yes, Mimic-san. I have fully dedicated myself to bringing Cell's defeat."  
  
"Well, after what we saw last night, you certainly do have the potential, but that monster has ever advantage over you. I honestly don't think you should do this."  
  
"Don't try to change my mind, Preach, cause I already made it up."  
  
"Preacher's right, Selena-dude! You could get killed!"  
  
"Ace, just so that you know, those are the four most heard words I've had to put up with the past week."  
  
"Sorry, dude...."  
  
"Selena, you should listen to us. I understand that you're doing this for a just and noble cause, but you're not of any caliber to fight such a powerful monster. It even stood well against a fraction of the Great Gospel, and that much should have eradicated him."  
  
"Yes, Mimic-san. I do understand that. But I still believe that I can defeat him."  
  
"Selena, are you sure you aren't doing this just to be famous like you always wanted?"  
  
"Zeo, you know me better than that! I'm doing this to try and save innocent lives! Little Sakura would be dead if it weren't for me!"  
  
"I still think you're doing this for the fame of it...."  
  
"I am not! Just so long as I can save one person from Cell......just one......gives me the confidence that I can defeat him because he's not perfect!"  
  
"Well, it seems we can't talk you out of it, Selena. Well, we'll make sure Piccolo and Tien keep an eye on you. And that Krillin and Sakura make sure you keep up your training."  
  
"Thank you, Mimic-san. I promise to take care of myself and look out for Sakura."  
  
"Safe travels and happy farewell, Selena-chan...."  
  
"Take care of yourself, Selena-dude! We'll be rootin' for ya!"  
  
"Hasta levista, la bonita! Safe journey to you!"  
  
"Thanks, guys. I love you all.......take care of yourselves!"  
  
………  
  
Selena smiled.  
  
"They're the only family I have left......but those I bond with become permanent family....."  
  
She closed her hands into fists and raised a determined look into the sky.  
  
"I keep my promises and live up to my vows. I will defeat and kill Cell......and just so long as I can save one life.....there is hope!"  
  
**************  
  
He watched from a house roof, keeping low and surveying the streets below. He had sensed Selena's arrival by swoop bike a while ago, but he was slightly busy at the moment, not wanting to waste time with her today.  
  
He felt a ki mass heading for the town. More than likely, a bus with lots of people in it. He licked his lips at the thought.  
  
Then, he saw it drive through the streets and head for a nearby gas station. It was a yellow school bus, and from the looks from the windows, there were lots of young children inside.  
  
__Oooooooh, fresh meat!  
  
Yummy-yum-yum!  
  
And they're all mine for the taking!  
  
Oh, and to make this better.....Selena is going to be pissed when she sees this!  
  
***************  
  
The bus pulled into the gas station, and the driver opened the bus doors. Children noisily pushed and shoved their way out and stretched their legs. The bus driver and a few teachers looked around the town in concern.  
  
"It's quiet." one teacher pointed out.  
  
"Too quiet." another nodded.  
  
"Where's all the people?" one asked.  
  
"I'll go check with the pump guy here." the bus driver suggested, hopping out of the bus and heading for the nearby snack shop. Meanwhile, another teacher started getting the gas pumps ready to fill up the bus.  
  
***************  
  
The eleven year old girl, one of the first out, searched the station for the nearest bathroom. She found one, but it was locked. She quickly solved that problem, and kicked the heavy door open. The thick lock broke under her massive strength, and the door swung open. The girl proudly marched in and closed the heavy door behind her.  
  
"I don't care if I vandalized, when you have to go, you have to go...."  
  
She made the door was securely shut, which practically blocked all sound......  
  
......which included sudden screams of terror from her classmates......  
  
***************  
  
Selena soon heard the screaming, and it sounded like a huge mass of young children. She turned her head to the sound......on the other side of town! She quickly took off at a run, one hand wrapped around the ki staff strapped to her back. She knew that Cell was attacking!  
  
__Innocent children! Who did nothing wrong!  
  
Cell, you bastard! How could you do such a horrible thing?!  
  
She started to tire as soon as she had arrived......apparently unnoticed. Cell's back was to her, and various school uniforms of boys and girls were scattered around his feet. He had absorbed them all in about less than five minutes! Her teeth gritted and her fists clenched. Miraculously, he didn't notice her, and proceeded towards the snack shop to see if he missed anyone.  
  
Then, both heard a door swing open to the side of the building.  
  
Cell instantly pressed himself to the wall and looked in the direction of the noise. He proceeded to it slowly until someone came into view.  
  
Selena's eyes widened in both shock and relief.  
  
One eleven-year-old girl was still alive!  
  
******************  
  
The girl looked at the scene in horror, too scared to even make a sound. She took several steps back to hope and run away from whatever killed her classmates and teachers. Then, she heard a growl nearby and swiftly turned to the source of the noise.  
  
Thus, she screamed.  
  
"AAAAAAA!"  
  
The monster lunged at her and grabbed her throat. He held her up in the air, letting her choke and also get a good look at his face. The girl grunted and choked in her hold, but thought quickly to keep her breath. She grabbed the monster's wrist with one hand and wrapped her legs around his arm to keep footing. As the monster blinked at her resourcefulness, she held her free hand back with two fingers extended. Underestimating her by her age, Cell didn't see the attack coming.  
  
The girl jabbed her hand foreword and stuck two fingers into his eyes!  
  
Cell shrieked in pain, letting her go. The girl let herself fall, and flipped to her feet. Then, she swung her foot around with a ki-ay, and swept him on the backside of his knee. Cell was forced down onto one leg, able to keep his balance as the girl got up and started to run away. He growled at her.  
  
"Most unexpected....." he mumbled chasing after her. After a couple of steps, he pounced after her. The girl looked behind her and screamed. She couldn't get away!  
  
Suddenly.....  
  
"Get down!"  
  
The girl quickly did as she was told as a woman from apparently out of nowhere jumped foreword and kicked the monster in the face. Cell was flung away, but he rolled along the ground and quickly got back to his feet. Selena landed on her feet in front of the girl.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" Selena asked the girl. She nodded. "Good. Let's try to get you out of here."  
  
"Not a chance." Cell snarled, lowering into a fighting position.  
  
Selena smirked at him.  
  
"Lose your lunch, big guy?"  
  
"Give the girl up, she's not worth the effort!"  
  
"I think she is. Not very many kids are that quick on their feet if I do say so."  
  
The girl blushed slightly as Selena reached behind and gave her a pat on the head.  
  
Cell decided to crouch slightly lower.  
  
"Hmph. She got lucky......but her luck has run out. And we'll see if yours has if you don't stay out of my way, Selena!"  
  
"I guess we'll have to see then." Selena nodded, remaining exactly as she was but sounding like she was ready for a battle. "Come and get some, Cell!"  
  
Reaching behind her again, Selena pulled the girl close to her. As the young girl wondered what was going on....  
  
Cell jumped foreword for a flying lunge!  
  
The girl screamed while Selena just smirked expectedly.  
  
Just as Cell reached a hand out to strike Selena, she powered up her sacred aura. The instant Cell touched her face with his hand, he was flung backward at an illegal speed and into the snack shop. The building exploded upon Cell's impact, and the second it did, Selena and the girl ran off as quickly as they could.  
  
Flames from the explosion found their way to the gas veins, igniting another explosion, and catching nearby buildings on fire. Smoke billowed into the air as Selena and the girl kept running away.  
  
"It's dead!" the girl celebrated.  
  
"No." Selena shook her head. "Not likely. If anything, he's ticked off."  
  
"What?!" the girl squeaked. "But......nothing could survive that!"  
  
"It's an android." Selena tried to explain. "The only thing that could kill it is a nuke, and I don't know if even that would do any damage."  
  
******************  
  
Unfortunately, Selena was right. Pushing his way out of the gasoline fire and burning wood, Cell stood on his feet and walked out of the wreckage. Several of the nearby buildings had caught on fire. It was only a matter of time before nearby fire crews or even Piccolo and Tien came to investigate. He had to work quickly.  
  
Selena and that young girl had to die.  
  
Now.  
  
******************  
  
Selena and the girl sprinted down the street, slowing down every once in a while to catch their breath. However, the girl was growing very tired.  
  
"Ma'am......" she huffed, "can we please stop? I'm tired!"  
  
"No way." Selena shook her head. "That creature is right behind us."  
  
The girl looked behind her to find nothing running behind them, and she glared at Selena.  
  
"Look, lady! Thanks for saving me back there, but I think it's dead and that there's no more reason to keep running! We're wasting breath!"  
  
Selena flung the girl a much harder glare.  
  
"Look, kid! You're welcome, but we're not out of danger yet. I have been chasing that thing for three days back down here, and I know how it works. A gas fire wouldn't even singe that thing, it would only make him mad. So don't be giving me orders!"  
  
"I think I should give you orders! I'm a very important person, y'know!"  
  
That made Selena stop and push the girl's back into a nearby wall. She held the young girl there with a powerful grip and a very nasty stare comparable to Cell's.  
  
"Nobody gives me orders, y'here me?!" Selena hissed. "I don't care how important you are! I doubt you're an important figure at all, especially since I don't recognize you. What's your name?"  
  
"It's my dad you should really be worried about." the girl squeaked, trying to look unintimidated but clearly was very scared. Selena didn't calm down but she did smirk.  
  
"I thought so. A rich kid with a dad who buys countries in his spare time." she huffed. She let go of the girl but kept a firm grip on the girl's wrist. The girl glared as hard as she could at Selena, making her eyes water.  
  
"No, he's not like that. My dad is a pro wrestler, and a famous one at that!"  
  
With her anger ebbing slightly, Selena decided to find out who the girl is.  
  
"I didn't know The Rock had kids....."  
  
"No!" the girl shook her head. "My dad is Mr. ....."  
  
Suddenly, Selena swung her head behind them, seeing Cell about to jump on top of them.  
  
"GET DOWN!"  
  
Selena grabbed the girl's wrist and leapt the opposite direction Cell headed, keeping lower. Cell landed on all fours on the pavement as Selena stood up from behind him. Cell snaked his tail foreword for a strike, but Selena quickly unsheathed her staff and blocked. Keeping the girl close, Selena backed away while blocking Cell's repeated tail strikes.  
  
Finally, Cell stood up. He quickly pivoted on his heel and lunged himself towards Selena. Selena acted faster, pushing the blunt end of her staff foreword and stabbing Cell in the gut. His lunge was thwarted, and Selena quickly kicked his face. Cell backed off a moment, which gave Selena time to let the girl go.  
  
"Hide!" she ordered, then advanced on Cell. She whacked him a few times with the staff, guarding and defending with her legs and feet. Cell made a jab for her face, but she ducked away and brought her ki jewel up to his cheek hard. Cell faltered backward, but fanned out his wings to keep balance. Selena advanced foreword, not taking her eyes off the monster for a moment, and continuously striking at him with her staff. He tried to stab his tail at her, but she kicked away, then jumped up slightly and bringing her other foot in an upper-cut on his chin. Caught completely off guard, Cell fell over.  
  
The girl watched from behind a mail box in awe.  
  
"Wow...." she gasped. "They both move so fast......and that girl is incredible. She does know how this monster works......"  
  
__She's mean, but she's a great fighter!  
  
I wonder who'd win between her and my dad in a fight.....  
  
This is really cool! Dad said I needed a role model, and I think I just found one!  
  
****************  
  
"She sure is taking a while....." Krillin huffed, looking around the campsite. Selena had set up a temporary camp site in a small woodland near Cloves. She wanted Krillin to stay with Sakura there while she took care of Cell. Sakura had worried herself to sleep on a sleeping bag, so she was taking her afternoon nap. Krillin had the radio on a light rock station and kept the volume down really low.  
  
"I hope Selena's okay......I don't sense Piccolo or Tien nearby at all....."  
  
****************  
  
Cell was growling at his rotten luck.  
  
__She's gotten better......she's been training......  
  
He quickly pushed himself back on his feet and lunged again. Selena danced out of his way and pushed her ki into his unguarded side.  
  
"TAMASHII NO YA!"  
  
The ki attack pushed him sideways into a building. Selena quickly followed, putting her staff away. Cell was covered in plaster block debris, so Selena stood on top of it and pointed her palms at the rubble. The ki jewels on her leather strapped hands began to glow. Shouting a ki-ay, she fired two huge blasts at the rubble and blew a huge hole in the ground. She stepped away from her damage, seeing that the rubble was obliterated and all that remained was a crater. With an accomplished nod, Selena turned back to the girl.  
  
"He's unconscious. Let's go while he's still out."  
  
The girl came out of her poor hiding in shock.  
  
"You mean.....he's knocked out?! That would have killed anybody......What did you do? Do you have laser beams in your hands or something?"  
  
"I'll explain later." Selena decided, turning and heading to the girl. "Now, let's go. Let's find a phone so that we can call your dad...."  
  
There was movement in the crater unnoticed by the two. Cell dug himself out of the loose dirt and stood on his feet. His eyes were glowing red in frustration, and patches of scorched skin stood out among his small black speckles.  
  
The only warning he gave to what he did next was one footstep for momentum.  
  
.......KT-CH.......  
  
Just as Selena turned around.......  
  
.....Cell lunged at her.......  
  
....he arched a fisted arm to his side.......  
  
.....Selena prepared to dodge......  
  
.....Cell swung his fist foreword.......  
  
.....the punch made contact with Selena's face......  
  
.....the woman was sent flying into an opposite building window......  
  
......KKKKRASSSSH!  
  
"NO!" the girl screamed, watching Selena get punched into a window. The woman lay among the shards of broken glass and only twitched slightly.  
  
It was Selena who was unconscious now.......  
  
.......and Cell to make an accomplished nod.  
  
********************  
  
The girl quickly ran to Selena and tried to shake the woman awake. Selena only groaned a few times, but didn't stir. Cell stood over the girl, purring slightly.  
  
"It is of no use, little one." he assured. "It's just you and me now."  
  
The girl looked back up at him in fear, and tried to get distance away from him. Cell just walked closer to her to try and corner her. When she was backed up against a wall, she quickly struck a defensive position. Cell smiled at her in amusement.  
  
"There's no point in resisting."  
  
"You stay away from me!" the girl insisted.  
  
"Or else what?" Cell dared.  
  
He took one step closer, and the girl decided to make her move.  
  
She jumped up and swung a punch at Cell's face. There was a sharp CRACK! upon impact making Cell grunt and the girl cry sharply in pain. One of her knuckles was bleeding, broken on impact! Cell swished something around in his mouth before spitting it out. It was a single, flat tooth! The monster smiled slightly, not showing if one tooth was indeed missing in his mouth.  
  
"Nice." he commented. "Not one fighter has managed that much damage, let alone a human child."  
  
Even though her knuckle hurt her immensely, the girl decided to continue defending herself. She rushed foreword for another punch, but Cell effortlessly saw it coming.  
  
__Too slow...  
  
He quickly caught her fist in one hand, and she tried to pull it away with little luck. She tried punching with her other fist, but he caught that too until he was holding both her fists in his hands. She tried to tug out of his grasp, but couldn't, and her broken knuckle was straining some serious pain up her arm. Cell looked bored.  
  
"Well, that didn't take long, did it?"  
  
Suddenly, the girl jumped up and wrapped her legs tightly around Cell's neck. The monster was taken by surprise and lost his balance. The girl used that to her advantage, and pulled off a tricky maneuver for someone with such unequal weight. She brought her torso down sharply until her hands touched the ground and flipped Cell over onto his back as she stood up. She instantly felt the price of that trick; her stomach cramped, her sides had split like she had laughed very hard, and her wrists were strained.  
  
Oh well, Cell was left slightly bewildered on his back.  
  
"Such skill...." he marveled to no one in particular as he stared at the ceiling above him. "Using my weight and the element of surprise against me...." He quickly pulled his legs up and hopped back up to his feet. He pivoted his hip and smirked at the girl. "What an interesting young girl you are...."  
  
The girl struck another fighting pose defensively as Cell turned fully around to face her.  
  
"I must admit, you're good against normal people, little lady.......but if I was fighting seriously, you would have died at least fifty times by now."  
  
The girl looked horrified, and Cell continued with a chuckle.  
  
"Now, why don't you give yourself up and make this less difficult."  
  
The girl started to inch away from the monster, towards Selena. Selena was starting to come around, noticing shapes and colors to her slowly adjusting vision.  
  
"Wh-wh-what do you want?" the girl tried to distract Cell. He wasn't buying it, and shook his head.  
  
"As of now......I want you......" He licked his lips hungrily and stepped towards her. The girl cried out in fear, and backed away even further. Cell grinned at that reaction and stepped closer.  
  
Suddenly.....  
  
"You sick, sick, man....."  
  
"Eh?" Cell looked down at Selena....  
  
....just before she raised a hand to him and fired a massive ki blast at him. Cell was blown off his feet with a grunt! Selena slowly pushed herself to her feet with a few groans. The girl ran to her side.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"A little dizzy." Selena admitted. "How about you?"  
  
"...." The girl got a little watery-eyed, but that let Selena see the slight damage the girl took. Selena had to grin.  
  
"You lucky, lucky kid. C'mon, we better split...."  
  
Cell held a hand out and fired two blasts at the women. Selena quickly grabbed the girl and jumped out of the way of one, but the other hit her and blew her across the street. She held tightly onto the girl as she was flung and took to the blunt of the landing herself. Cell got up and dusted himself off.  
  
"Neither of you are going anywhere!" He announced, then he lunged for them.....  
  
.......only to be kicked aside by a Namekian foot!  
  
Piccolo landed in front of Selena while Cell flipped himself over to land on his feet. Tien jumped from a building top next to Selena to help her and the girl up.  
  
"Are you two okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." Selena grunted with a cough, still holding the girl. "We were just about to leave....."  
  
Suddenly, Piccolo lunged at Cell and the two started fighting ferociously. Tien made sure Selena could walk as she held the girl in her arms, then started to turn away.  
  
"Better get going before Cell notices."  
  
"Right." Selena nodded. "Thanks, and tell the Namek thanks too." She quickly took off as the girl in her arms started to fall unconscious. Tien decided to cover their tracks and he hovered in the air.  
  
"Hey, Cell!" he shouted at the monster, putting his hands to his sides. Just as Cell looked at him, Tien unleashed his trademark attack. "TAIOKEN!"  
  
Piccolo quickly covered his eyes, but Cell reacted too little too late. He was blinded by the bright flash and started backing away hastily while covering his eyes. Selena shielded her eyes as she ran away, and soon found herself outside the city limits.  
  
She wasted no time getting back to the camp.  
  
****************  
  
The next day, Selena and the others found a small village that still had people in it. All of them were preparing for evacuations to the north, since Cell was starting to head back south. Selena found a pay phone that was still working, and let the young girl from Cloves call her father to come pick her up. Selena sat on the opposite sidewalk next to her, smiling, while Krillin and Sakura sat next to her.  
  
"You two should have seen her back there." she bragged. "She was doing pretty well. With slight injuries like hers, she was very lucky."  
  
"I guess." Krillin agreed. "I don't really find it hard to believe, but.....she's just a couple years older than Gohan. I guess it's possible, though I can't say what the kid could do to Cell as he is..."  
  
"Gohan is Goku's son, right?"  
  
"Son Gohan and Son Goku, yeah."  
  
Selena nodded, watching as the girl hang up the phone.  
  
"I can't wait to meet either of them."  
  
The girl jogged back to them with a happy look.  
  
"He said he's coming here in a hour." she reported. "Isn't that cool?"  
  
"Isn't your dad in Orange City?" Selena asked. "That's several hundred miles away, maybe even a thousand."  
  
"He's got a private jet." the girl explained. "It should take an hour to get here."  
  
"That explains everything." Selena nodded. "Hey, take a seat. How's your hands?"  
  
"Doing better, thanks." the girl smiled as she sat on the sidewalk. "I dunno what my dad would think if he saw these.......probably sue the monster, or you, or something."  
  
Selena laughed hard.  
  
"That thing doesn't believe in money. And I'd like to see him sue my ass, I don't have any money to be sued with!"  
  
"Selena-san, no bad words!" Sakura scolded.  
  
"Sorry...."  
  
"So," the girl asked, "you guys are really going to kill that monster someday?"  
  
Selena nodded, but Krillin chuckled nervously.  
  
"Well, actually, Sakura and I are kinda along for the ride. Hunting the guy down was all Selena's idea."  
  
Selena grinned.  
  
"I'm not going to stop until it's dead. Too many people are dead, that can't go unpunished."  
  
The girl gave Selena a concerned face.  
  
"But....what if it kills you first?"  
  
Selena blinked a few times, then made a serious face.  
  
"I won't. Simple as that."  
  
They continued to talk until the sounds of an approaching rocket jet were heard in the air. The girl stood up.  
  
"That sounds like my dad!" she said happily. She smiled at her new friends. "Thanks, Selena, for saving me! I'll mention you to my dad! Oh, and one more thing..."  
  
Selena stood up too.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"If and when we meet again.....will you train me to fight like that? Because...." the girl's cheeks blushed slightly, "....I want to fight just like you! With speed and agility....things that pro wrestlers like my dad don't think of carefully. I want to fight like a martial artist!"  
  
Selena nodded with a grin.  
  
"I'd be glad to."  
  
"Hey, by the way...." Krillin interrupted, standing up. "We never got your name..."  
  
"I did." Selena smirked as the girl bowed politely. "Her name is...."  
  
"Can I?" the girl asked in annoyance.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
The girl smiled sweetly as she bowed again.  
  
"I wish you guys luck with that monster. I know you can win, because you're determined and strong in all body, spirit, and mind. My name is Videl......oh, I better go! Dad's here! Bye!"  
  
_

  
**End of Chapter 1**

** **End of Episode BONUS!**  
  
**

  
**Selena: Well, there's been lots of requests and demands and threats to send the DBZ cast to whoop my ass for the EOE dress-ups to return.......but the thing is, I'm all out of ideas! So are the guys! Plus, they won't agree to any of my ideas at all!  
  
****Tien: KINGDOM HEARTS! NO WAY!  
  
****Cell: Forget it! I'm not being any stupid Disney characters!  
  
****Selena: Guys, it's a great game! Give it a bloody chance! Since when has Squaresoft bombed on something?!  
  
****Everyone: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within!  
  
****Selena: Oh.......  
  
****Sakura: So, what can we do?  
  
****Selena: Well, it looks like we'll have to put the dress-ups on hold......  
  
****Piccolo & Cell: **celebrate** YAY! YAHOO! NO MORE DRESSING UP IN STUPID COSTUMES!  
  
****Selena: **smirk** ......until I get to see Spirited Away.  
  
****Piccolo & Cell: O.O  
  
****Krillin: LOL! Looks like you guys aren't safe until Selena rediscovers Kiki's Delivery Service.....  
  
****Piccolo & Cell: **runs and hide**  
  
****Selena: Meanwhile, I have a great idea until the meantime! LET'S START A BAND!  
  
****Sakura: Yay! That'll be fun!  
  
****Piccolo & Cell: .....................................  
  
****Selena: What's wrong, guys?  
  
****Piccolo, Cell, & Tien: We'd rather do character dress ups.......  
  
****Selena: Oh, c'mon! It'll be fun! Tien can be on drums, Krillin can be on keyboards, I'll sing lead.......  
  
****Cell: Y'know, actually, this sounds good now that I think about it......  
  
****Tien: I don't want any part in it.......  
  
****Piccolo: Me neither.  
  
****Selena: Party poopers........  
  
****Cell: What can I play?  
  
****Selena: Well, I guess we can get someone else to play the drums. 'Can't have a band without a drummer! We'll need a guitarist too!  
  
****Cell: What can I play?!  
  
****Selena: C'mon, Pic, Tien! You guys have to play something! You're part of the cast!  
  
****Piccolo: No.  
  
****Tien: I'm tone deaf.  
  
****Selena: Oh, I see. Fine, I guess I'll have to throw more Z guys into this.....  
  
****Cell: HEY!  
  
****Selena: What, Cell?  
  
****Cell: WHAT CAN I PLAY?!  
  
****Selena: The kazoo.  
  
****Cell: KAZOO?! WHY, YOU LITTLE.....  
  
****Selena: I'm kidding!  
  
****Cell: YEAH, WELL FUN-NY!  
  
****Selena: Drummer?  
  
****Cell: **huff** Okay.....  
  
****Selena: **jots it down on her hand** Okay, so that's me as lead singer......Cell as drummer......Krillin on keyboards........  
  
****Krillin: Alright! This is gonna be awesome!  
  
****Selena: Okay, so we got the basics until Pic and Tien change their minds or until we get more cast members! Right, so now we need some songs.......  
  
****Sakura: Can I play the kazoo?  
  
****Selena: Heh, heh. We don't need a kazoo, kiddo. You can be a background singer.  
  
****Sakura: YAY!  
  
****Krillin: So, what about a band name?  
  
****Selena: That can wait. We'll sing some songs first and see how that works out.  
  
****Krillin: Cool!  
  
****Sakura: Yay, our very own band! This is going to be fun!  
  
****Cell: **sweatdrops** I have a very bad feeling about this.....  
  
  
  
_((So, guys, any song requests for Selena's band? Most any appropriate songs are welcome. Now that I've kicked off the second act of UC, what do you guys think? I've planned the whole thing out already, so no plot suggestions, thanks! KINGDOM HEARTS ROCKS! ~Masq ))_**


	2. The People of Pine Brook, Selena's Sins:...

Unholy Crusade Act 2: Breaking Point  
  
Chapter 1: The People of Pine Brook, Selena's Sins - Part 1  
  
"Hi there! Uh, we'll need ten packs of that top ramen, please."  
  
"Sure thing, baldy. That'll be twenty pounds."  
  
"The name's Krillin, actually. Uh, Sakura, could you go get Selena?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
*******************  
  
Selena was just outside the small caravan gathering. She was sitting on a tree stump, letting the wind blow through her let-down hair and tug at her black and white gi. She was looking westward, away from their current destination.  
  
'I can't believe Krillin talked me into going there.....  
  
'He has no idea what that place is to me......and what the people think of me.....  
  
'I wish my Irish motherland wasn't so foreboding......it just doesn't look beautiful anymore......  
  
'......when I remember what happened to me so long ago.......'  
  
"Selena-san!"  
  
Selena turned to see Sakura hopping out of a camping trailer and bounding towards her. The woman smiled a little.  
  
"Yes, Sakura-chan?"  
  
"Krillin says he needs twenty pounds for food." Then, she looked confused. "Uh....twenty pounds of what, Selena?"  
  
"Silly." Selena chuckled, reaching into a fold of her gi for a very thin wallet. "In Ireland, a pound is a type of money. Twenty pounds is like twenty zeni."  
  
"That's not a lot."  
  
"Nope. Ramen is very cheap." She pulled a few paper bills out of the wallet and handed them to Sakura. "Tell Krillin this is twenty-five. I'm short on change."  
  
"Okay!" Sakura nodded, then bounded back into the trailer. Selena watched her go in, then looked around the caravan area. All around her were camping trailers, to be pulled by trucks when they would go further on the road. Selena looked away from them, back west.  
  
'Going north? Wise choice.....  
  
'Since Cell started moving south again......  
  
'One could wonder......what is he looking for so desperately that he is using no method of searching......'  
  
********************  
  
He was doing an unusual amount of thinking lately.  
  
Thinking about her......  
  
'Selena.....an interesting girl........very interesting......'  
  
Cell was sitting amonst a flock of wild chocobo who were gathered around a nearby oak tree. The shadows hid him rather well when he kept his eyes closed and the attention was on the chocobo. He didn't bother the birds and they didn't bother him, so both paid no mind to each other. The birds went about their roaming and grazing, while Cell went to his thinking about Selena.  
  
He could almost be called obsessive when thinking of her....  
  
'I don't understand her logic. She admits not being stronger, faster, or being any better than me.......  
  
'......yet she believes she can defeat me!  
  
'What makes her so confident? Why does she do this when she has a very low chance of getting killed?  
  
'.........  
  
'Why do I think of her so intensely?'  
  
Cell sighed to himself when a chocobo wandered next to him to pluck some nearby grass blades into its beak. Cell decided to open his eyes and watch.  
  
'I wonder where the nearest town or village is.......  
  
'I don't know the Irish Territory very well, and the maps don't show the smaller villages.......  
  
'All I know is that Selena is somehow keeping pace with me every step of the way.....  
  
'There I go again!'  
  
Cell growled slightly in frustration, which made the nearby bird look at him strangely.  
  
"Coo?"  
  
"Don't ask." Cell suggested to the bird. Then he stood up and stretched his arms while cracking his toes.  
  
'Maybe I should move on.......  
  
'A bite to eat may help me think better.....'  
  
********************  
  
'Pine Brook.......of all places to go......why frikkin Pine Brook?!'  
  
Selena had on a rather sour face as she continued down the road she and the others were going. Since her swoop was out of gas, and she didn't have extra fuel cells, she rented two chocoboes to ride on. She and Sakura sat on one giant bird, while Krillin sat nervously on the other. They were traveling at a nicely paced canter, which Selena hardly noticed at all while she sulked. In fact, she was so deep in her sulking, she wouldn't have noticed if her chocobo went into a sudden charge down the grassy plain.  
  
"So, Selena?" Krillin spoke up, trying not to look nervous (though failing), "We have to spend the night at Pine Brook before we can find a gas station, right?"  
  
"......" Selena didn't hear him. All sound was practically blocked out of her head as she brooded.  
  
'That place.......with such horrible memories.........  
  
'And I bet "he" is still living there too.......  
  
'I wonder how "he's" doing?  
  
'Probably never forgot me.........  
  
'I'll bet none of them did........  
  
'Why do I have to go back there? To that place where........'  
  
"Hey, Selena!"  
  
Krillin's yell got through her mental barriar, and she snapped her head over to him.  
  
"What?!" she almost snapped. Krillin shrank away slightly in fear.  
  
"Whoa! Sorry.......didn't mean to hit the wrong button or anything......"  
  
Selena sighed, sounding really annoyed.  
  
"No. You just startled me. Uh, what was it?"  
  
"You really don't want to go there, do you? To Pine Brooks?"  
  
Selena looked away from him.  
  
"I was banished from there......."  
  
Sakura looked up at Selena.  
  
"You mean........you can't go back?"  
  
"That's right." Selena asnwered sadly. "I can't go back. The people there hate me."  
  
"What did you do?" Krillin asked.  
  
Growling, Selena pulled on the reigns of her chocobo, forcing it to stop and turn around to face Krillin. It cawed in protest as she did so. Once she was facing Krillin, she pointed an accusing finger at him, shaking it for influence.  
  
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! IT WAS HIS FAULT! HE MADE ME DO IT! HE PUT THE FUCKING BLAME ON ME! IT'S HIS FAULT I'M HATED HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! IT'S NOT MY FAULT, IT'S HIS! YOU GOT THAT?!"  
  
"Whoa, dude!" Krillin panicked, his chocobo backing up from Selena's screams. Her own chocobo bucked, but Selena managed to keep her balance. She stopped shouting to make sure Sakura didn't fall out of the saddle either. When both birds quieted down, Sakura started crying. Selena held the girl close in a begging-forgiveness hug.  
  
"I'm sorry." she whispered. "I shouldn't have shouted like that......"  
  
"Why did you do that?!" Sakura bawled, hot tears streaming from her eyes. "You scared me, Selena-san! Don't do that again!"  
  
"I'm sorry." Selena repeated. A couple of tears were in her eyes, and one ran down her cheek. "But what happened to me.............has left a permanant scar on me. I really don't want to.......to tell you about it, but........well......." She sniffed and wiped the tear away. "The people there will kill me if I go back......"  
  
Krillin instantly started to worry about the scene before him.  
  
'I've never seen Selena act like this before........  
  
'She's usually the tough gal who can take on anything........  
  
'Whatever happened in Pine Brook musta been really bad......'  
  
Krillin tried to be cheerful as he hopped off his chocobo and approached Selena.  
  
"Hey, I got an idea! Selena, why don't Sakura and I go into town, and you can stay with the caravan back there?"  
  
Selena shook her head.  
  
"The caravan's heading out tonight. They won't be there for long." She suddenly smiled as Sakura calmed down. "But, you've got a good idea. I should stay outside the town. I'll camp on the outskirts. I still have my equipment."  
  
Sakura looked up at Selena, a little scared.  
  
"You're not coming with us, Selena-san?"  
  
"No, Sakura-chan. I'm sorry." Selena wiped the little girl's tears away. "Go on with Krillin, I'll be right here in the morning."  
  
********************  
  
Upon first glance, the town looked very normal. Nestled between two grassy hills and having a population of three hundred, Pine Brooks was a peaceful community of care-free country folk. Half the population were farmers of all kinds, including chocobo farmers. The rest cared to the homes they lived in, singing tunes while cleaning house or doing chores, chatting with neighbors, or spreading local news.  
  
To Krillin, it looked like a wonderful place to live.  
  
'No kidding, Selena? These people would KILL you if you returned here?  
  
'No way! These people look like they wouldn't do something like that.....  
  
'They're just peaceful Irish countrymen.....'  
  
He rode the chocobo with Sakura up to a house for directions. He saw a full- muscled man strap a saddle on a rather big chocobo. It was almost twice as big as the one Krillin was sitting on! And the looks on the man alone could almost make him a Saiyajin!  
  
'Wow. What is this place?'  
  
" 'Scuse me!" Krillin called to the man. "We've just arrived here! Where's the local inn?"  
  
The man turned to Krillin and smiled.  
  
"Three houses down, on the other side of the street. Just follow the main road, lad. You can't miss the wooden sign." The man smiled warmly. "Welcome, stranga. You can call on ol' Farly if you need anythin'."  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Farly." Krillin waved, continuing on. Checking across the street, Krillin finally did notice the wooden sign across the street. A familiar wooden brown oval with white painted letters "Town Inn" greeted Krillin in front of a quaint two story house. This place was just way too friendly, and way too different from Selena's claim.  
  
'This can't be right.....maybe Selena was in another town with a similar name....  
  
'I'm really sorry that what happened to her......whatever happened to her......  
  
'But this place is just not what Selena says it is.....'  
  
"Hey, Sakura?" Krillin turned to the little girl. "Can you go inside and tell the inn keeper we're here? I'll go put this guy in the barn."  
  
"Okay." the little girl agreed. Krillin helped her down then got off the chocobo himself. She ran inside the house while Krillin headed for the barn. He opened the barn doors and looked around inside. There were other chocobos, similar to the one that Farly had.  
  
"C'mon, big guy." Krillin invited the chocobo, walking it in behind him. The chocobo "coo"ed as it walked in and Krillin looked for an empty stall. When he thought he found one, he opened the door wide open. Then, he noticed there was another man inside the barn, spreading out fresh hay on the ground. The man looked up at Krilin.  
  
"Hoye, hello they." the man chuckled in an Irish accent. "What brings yu 'ere?"  
  
"Oh, hi." Krillin chuckled. "Uh...we're hoping to stay here for the night, if that's okay."  
  
"Aye, aye." the man agreed. "Not a problem." He dusted his hands off and walked out of the stall. He offered one hand to the little, bald man. "Th' names Kirkland. Andy Kirkland."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kirland." Krillin greeted, shaking his hand. "Uh, where can I find the innkeeper?"  
  
"I aam th' innkeepa, mate."  
  
"Huh?" Krillin blinked. "But.....if you're the innkeeper......then......who's minding the desk?"  
  
Suddenly, Sakura came into the barn, bawling and crying fiercely. She turned back to the door with a vengence.  
  
"You mean, old lady! I hate you!"  
  
As she ran towards Krillin in support as a rather young woman chased the girl inside.  
  
"Wot ya mean 'old,' ya liddle brat?! Git out ove me house!"  
  
"Now, now, Nancy...." Kirkland tried to calm the woman down. "Don't be over- re-actin' like thaat. What's goin' on?"  
  
Nancy pointed at Sakura, who was cowering behind Krillin.  
  
"Thaat braat waunts ta git a ruum fore th' night! Y'know th' policey, Andy! Ab-sole-luute-ley NO children!"  
  
"Bot......Bot, Nancy-darlin'....." Kirkland tried to reason....  
  
Meanwhile, Krillin and Sakura started inching their way to the barn door along with their chocobo. Kirkland was quick to notice his customers were leaving and went after them.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no! It's alraight, then. Yu tuu caan stay."  
  
"Well," Krillin doubted, "if your rules say 'no children,' then we probably should look somewhere else."  
  
"No, no, yu don't undastaand..." Kirkland shook his head, "it's just.....whell....." He talked a little more quietly. "Me wife hates kids. She don't waant aany herself."  
  
"Ooooh." Krillin nodded in understanding. "So, should we stay? I mean, we don't want to inconvience your wife...."  
  
"Oh, no. Not at aall!" the innkeeper insisted. "If it's just for th' night, I caan taalk the misses into it. Please, please, come in, sir! We'll arrange ev-ry-thin."  
  
Kirkland ushured Krillin and Sakura into the house while Nancy followed them in a huff. Krillin quickly made a deal for the only room in the inn for the night, and promised to leave first thing in the morning. Nancy sighed heavily and charged them the twenty zeni fee for one night.  
  
As Krillin accepted, Sakura couldn't help but notice how Kirkland was staring at her. It wasn't just a simple stare......it looked more like he was sizing her up, like a preditor sizing up another victom for it's meal. She shivered, and shied away from him.  
  
"Krillin-san....he's staring at me...."  
  
Kirkland blinked as though he had come out of a trance, then smiled warmly.  
  
"Sorrey. You're such a pretty little girl....."  
  
Nancy clipped him in the back of the head, making the man look with uneasyness at his spouce.  
  
"Just a complement, darlin'." he insisted. Then, he nodded at Krillin and Sakura. "Haave a nice night, mates."  
  
Krillin and Sakura then headed up the stairs for the attic-turned-inn room. Krillin shook his head the minute he closed the door.  
  
"Okay, so there's the occasional weirdo, but this little place is alright."  
  
He sat down on the bed as Sakura took out a capsule case that contained their toiletries.  
  
"Krillin-san?" she asked. Krillin shook his head in responce.  
  
"Just wondering why Selena doesn't like it here." He sighed. "I hope she's okay by herself...."  
  
**************************  
  
Night fell upon the grasslands, and a chill of the soon approaching fall blew across the Irish countryside. In a black tent, Selena huddled in her sleeping bag and three blankets, shivering. She was trying to go to sleep, but she was so cold. She ducked her head inside the bag and curled her legs close to herself. She shivered, and her teeth chattered slightly.  
  
'Man......I hope I get to sleep......and that morning comes soon......'  
  
Then, she heard the tent flaps russle. She remained perfectly still and sighed.  
  
"Damn pre-fall weather..." she mumbled to herself.  
  
"I thought you humans were looking foreword to the new season..."  
  
Selena groaned, and peeked from outside the sleeping bag. There he was, lying on one side, and proping his head up on one hand. His tail curled up around his waist, then uncurled again out of habit.  
  
"Get out of my tent, Cell. I'm to sleepy to fight." she moaned.  
  
"Then you're too sleepy to put up resistance." Cell purred. Selena hugged the blankets close to her.  
  
"What the hell did that mean?!" she demanded.  
  
Cell shook his head.  
  
"I meant that you will do nothing to put me outside this tent." he explained. "Unless you're nude under the covers again, then that's a different story."  
  
"I learned my lesson, you pervert!" Selena snapped, flipping over the covers to show that she was in sweats. Then, she covered herself again and resumed glaring at the android. Cell chuckled again.  
  
"Yes, you did. Congradulations."  
  
"What the hell do you want?"  
  
Cell nodded with a smirk.  
  
"Glad you asked. I wanted to know where Krillin and Sakura-chan are. Did you abandon them?"  
  
"No. They're in...." Selena stopped herself. If he found out they were in the next town, he would attack for sure! "That's none of your frikkin business!"  
  
Cell turned his head back to the open tent flap.  
  
"They're in town, aren't they?"  
  
D'OH!  
  
"So what if they are?!" Selena tried to block his verbal moves.  
  
"Oh, I was just wondering, that's all." He grinned, showing his fangs. "You're trying to keep me from attacking that village, aren't you? Well, you are in luck tonight. I had just happened upon a caravan coming my direction, so I just ate."  
  
Selena's eyes popped open in fear.  
  
'That caravan! Oh God! He got them even though they were heading north!'  
  
She then clenched her teeth, which made Cell laugh.  
  
"Oh, so you met them already?"  
  
"You're not getting away with any of this?! You hear me?!"  
  
"Yes." Cell answered with a smug look. "But you have given me no reason to believe I am threatened." He smiled again, a very sly smile. "Coming back to you as the subject, why are you out here on the plains all alone while your friends are in a comfortable bed in the town?"  
  
Selena narrowed her eyes so small, it almost looked like her eyes were shut!  
  
"None of your fucking business."  
  
"Oooooh, testy tonight, aren't we? Did I upset you that much?"  
  
"I had to bring up the subject once today, and I'm not talking about it again!"  
  
"Subject? On what? Do tell."  
  
Selena cringed, finally taking her eyes off of him.  
  
"No!"  
  
"But it will make you feel better." Cell suggested, lifting the covers off her face. "Come now, talk about it with me."  
  
"Why should I?!"  
  
"Because I'm a good listener." Cell chuckled.  
  
Selena, with lack of anything else to do, abruptly sat up.  
  
"Get out already!"  
  
"Hmmm...." Cell mused as he closed his eyes. "I sence a great deal of anger and pain involved in this 'subject.' " He opened his eyes again. "Truthfully, talking about it does help ease the pain."  
  
Selena crossed her arms stubbornly.  
  
"Oh, come now, Selena. Alright, how about this? If you tell me about what is making you so angry, I swear to God Almighty that not another soul will hear about it from me."  
  
Selena gave him a brick face.  
  
"So, if I tell you, you won't tell anyone else; is that what you're saying?"  
  
Cell crossed his heart.  
  
"And hope to die?" Selena added.  
  
Cell smirked.  
  
"You want me dead so bad, don't you? Hope to die, then. Now please, begin."  
  
Selena looked away and huffed.  
  
"Why I should even bother to tell you......"  
  
"Because I'm willing to bargain a secret for a secret." Cell threw in, sitting upright and crossed his legs. He rested his chin on his two folded hands. "Tell me about what is making you angry, and I'll throw in a secret of my own. Do we have a deal?"  
  
Selena was quiet a minute.  
  
"Deal." she agreed. "Now, don't interrupt."  
  
"Never."  
  
Then, Selena begain her story about what had happened in Pine Brooks.  
  
*******************  
  
I guess it began when I was very young. I ran away from my abusive grandparents when I was only ten. I stowed-away on ships, hich-hiked across several countries, walked a bazillion miles, and wasted money on other transport.......half way around the world to get back to Ireland. I was on my last buck when I stumbled upon the little town of Pine Brooks.  
  
From here, on this hill, I saw that it hadn't changed since my last visit. Everything was just the way it was as I remember it. I'll bet not even the people changed. You see, I stumbled across a fellow chocobo farmer named Duke Farly. He noticed I came into town, and quickly ushered me in the house for a place to stay. I told him I was trying to find a home, and he promised me that his house was my house. We became instant friends. Thus, I became his assistant in looking after and training the chocobos. Hmmm...I wonder if ol' General is still around......  
  
"You will come back to the subject?"  
  
I wasn't straying off the subject, so shut up!  
  
"Sorry. Please continue."  
  
Anyway, I was there for about a week when HE came into my life. We made eye contact one day, and then he started following me around. We finally got to talk about two days later, since he would stare at me funny, like he was going to eat me. Well, we said hi. Then, he asked me for my age. I didn't think it was weird at the time, so I told him I was twelve. He instantly warmed up to me, then wanted to know everything about me. I told him my name was Shikimi Lawless, then launched into the story of my life.  
  
His name was Andy Kirkland, and he was an innkeeper.  
  
We soon became friends. He was a very flattering man, Kirkland. He always gave me gifts everyday. I think I still have those silly sparrow finger puppets around here somewhere..... Anyway, we did everything together. He even helped me train some of the chocobos. Man, we went and did everything we wanted. The town started to think of us as brother and sister. We were just the pride and joy of all Pine Brooks.  
  
Then, one day, I noticed that he was cleaning out the inn with his girlfriend, Nancy Lockheart. I offered to help sweep and dust and Kirkland accepted. While Nancy swept downstairs, Kirkland and I went upstairs to clean out the inn room. And.......then......  
  
................................  
  
"Are you alright, Selena? Do you want to stop?"  
  
I think it's too late for that................  
  
"If you wish to continue, then please do so."  
  
...................okay..............  
  
I was..............about to change the sheets on one of the beds................  
  
............then...........Kirkland.........came up behind me.............  
  
He..........tossed me right onto the bed, and pinned me down................  
  
I.........was too young and too weak to fight back.............  
  
He kept telling me he loved me...............and that he wanted to marry me and not Nancy..............  
  
He.............He..................He hurt me in the worst way anyone could..............  
  
"Oh God........he didn't..........."  
  
**sniff** **sob**  
  
"If you want to stop now, I understand."  
  
No, I'm not done yet.  
  
"If.......As you wish."  
  
Well, he had the door unlocked. Nancy came in, hoping she could help us.............  
  
..........Caught him right in the act. She was furious! She started beating on Kirkland as he got off me and I struggled to put on what was left of my ripped clothes.  
  
That was when it all fell apart.  
  
Kirkland...............said that I was a witch........and that I had cast a spell on him.......  
  
.....and made him do that...........to me...........which was a downright lie.........  
  
Then.........I was the one getting beaten on.........I ran out of the inn for my life....  
  
Nancy ran out with me, spreading the word to everyone on the street..........  
  
They all came at me with torches and pitchforks................they wanted to kill me.......  
  
I ran for my life...........right up to the top of this very hill.................  
  
Farly was the only one chasing after me............  
  
He caught up to me................with a clean change of clothes for me.............  
  
He told me to keep running and never come back...................  
  
He then left, without saying goodbye..........made sure I didn't hug him or say another word to him...............  
  
I could tell he hated me then.....................  
  
And................I hated him too.................  
  
I hated all of them, I still do!  
  
Esspecially that bastard Kirkland! He was right at the head of that lynch mob too!  
  
I never wanted to come back again!  
  
**************************  
  
Cell couldn't reply. He was completely speechless. Not even an "I see" could get past his lips. He was in complete shock.  
  
Selena lowered her head, letting the tears flow from her eyes. She laughed sadly.  
  
"I told Krillin as little as possible, just saying I was banished from here........it was his idea that I set camp outside town. He'll......." She paused to wipe away some tears. "He'll be back here in the morning........."  
  
She noticed that Cell didn't say a word, and a very sympathetic look was on his face. She just shook her head and started sobbing.  
  
"I can't bare thinking about what happened! Esspecially none of it was my fault! The very culpret was the one who let everyone decide I should be killed for what HE did! Damn petifile!"  
  
Then, she felt something touch her cheek. She looked up to see Cell cupping one side of her face with his hand. They looked at each other for a while before Selena pulled away from him.  
  
"Well, now it's your turn!" she snapped, wiping away more tears. "What's your secret, Cell?"  
  
He lowered his head with a sigh.  
  
"I will not attack the village tonight............but I will tomorrow night."  
  
Selena instantly tensed.  
  
"But I have a question for you, reguarding that." he added. He looked at her seriously.  
  
"Selena..........after what you just told me.............I want to know from you......  
  
"Is Pine Brooks worth saving?"  
  
A horrified look sunk into Selena's face. Cell shook his head.  
  
"You don't have to answer right away, Selena. Think it over." He started to get up. "I will be expecting an answer tomorrow night." He nodded once at her. "Goodnight, and thank you, Selena."  
  
As he headed out the tent.........  
  
"Cell?"  
  
He turned back to Selena, who was still crying.  
  
"I don't feel any better after saying all of that, you liar."  
  
He managed to smile at her.  
  
"I wasn't lying. But now, I don't blame you for not wanting to tell me. Again....goodnight, my dear."  
  
"STOP CALLING ME THAT, DAMMIT!" Selena outbursted. She started sobbing again. "That's what Kirkland used to call me......."  
  
Again, Cell was put in a horrified state.  
  
"I.....see. Appologies, then. Goodnight, Selena."  
  
"Just get out of here already, you big cockroach!"  
  
Cell then walked away from the tent, and up the hill. He stopped at the very top, and sat in the grass. He watched the tent from where he was, watching over Selena as she slept. He bowed his head in respect.  
  
'What a sad and horrible story for any woman to tell.........'  
  
Something that looked suspiciously like a tear was squeezed from one pink eye and trickled down his beak.  
  
'She was only twelve years old.........'  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
**END OF EPISODE BONUS**  
  
((Cell waves to the readers, wearing a leather jacket and pants.))  
  
Cell: Hi, everyone. Well, this is our band's first performance on stage.....  
  
((Krillin and Selena peek out the band stage curtain.))  
  
Krillin: Wow, that's a lot of people out there!  
  
Selena: **looks over at the readers** We decided to call our band the Antagonists, and people seem to like our stuff so far.....  
  
Cell: Well, we appreciate everyone sending us requests for songs. Here they are:  
  
"Closing Time" and "Semi-charmed life" from Jesschaeux  
  
"One Week" from Anime-fan Meepa  
  
"Simple and Clean" (Kingdom Hearts) from Lord Chors  
  
"Just Walk Away" from Siigwan Ferland  
  
"Dirty," "Down with the Sickness," and "ock the Boat" (???) from Lady Dementia  
  
Cell: **blink blink** "ock the Boat?" What song is that?  
  
Selena: "Rock the Boat!" Not "ock the Boat!"  
  
Cell: Oh, Rock the Boat! Don't you just hate typos?! :P  
  
Selena: **walks up to the readers, and we see she is dressed in an Aurora costume** And we picked "Simple and Clean" from the Kingdom Hearts game. Which, by the way, rocks! **jumps up and down** Yay! Nightmare Before Christmas! **her wig falls off** Oh, geez.....  
  
Cell: **turns back to the reader** She's Sleeping Beauty, and I'm trying to be Leon. Hey, it's hard trying to find clothes my size!  
  
Selena: **straightens out her wig** Well, we're doing this a different way. We decided to combine the English lyrics with the Japanese lyrics, and with them the normal song and the PLANITb remix (as heard in the intro). I hope this mix is popular with the croud.  
  
Sakura: **dressed as Kairi** Can we go on stage now?  
  
Krillin: **dressed as Riku** Yeah, the crowd's getting anxious.  
  
Selena: **nods** Okay, let's go. **waves to the reader** Enjoy!  
  
((They take their postions on stage, and get ready to perform.))  
  
Announcer: Ladies and Gentlement, we now present the Antagonists!  
  
((Croud cheers as the curtain parts and shows everyone on stage. A guitar starts out the intro to the normal version, Cell keeps the beat on the drums, Selena begins to sing with Sakura in the background.))  
  
Selena:  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby, don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
((Pause, guitar continues))  
  
You're giving me too many things  
  
Lately you're all I need  
  
You smiled at me and said,  
  
Don't get me wrong I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to meet your father?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
What I meant when I said "No,  
  
I don't think life is quite that simple."  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby, don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go.....  
  
((Music quiets down, then Selena breathes into the mike slightly. The techno beat PLANITb remix starts. Everyone throws off their costumes to show a new set of costumes underneith. Selena is dressed like Aerith, Krillin is dressed like Cloud, Sakura is dressed like Yuffie, and Cell is dressed like Sephiroth. Selena moves and taps her foot to the beat. Then, she sings again, but the lyrics are in Japanese and the tempo is a little different.))  
  
Selena:  
  
shizukani  
  
deguchini tatte  
  
kurayami ni hikari wo ute (ute, ute, ute....)  
  
imadoki yakusoku nante  
  
fuan ni saseru dakekana  
  
negai wo kuchi ni shitaidake sagasou  
  
kunimo shoukai suruyo kitto umaku ikuyo  
  
((She kicks into the chorus))  
  
donna tokidatte  
  
tada hitoride  
  
unmei wasurete  
  
ikitekitanoni  
  
totsuzen no hikari no naka megasameru  
  
mayonakani  
  
((She then launches into the last verse))  
  
motto hanasouyo  
  
mokuzen no ashita no koto mo  
  
terebi keshite watashi no koto dake wo  
  
miteiteyo  
  
((Keeping into the remix and tempo, she sings the verse in English))  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
((The techno wraps up, then fades with Selena breathing into the mike.))  
  
((The crowd goes wild and everyone takes a bow.))  
  
Selena: **to the others** See guys? Wasn't this a good idea?  
  
Cell: **nods** Good thing I didn't back out.  
  
Selena: **waves at the crowd and at the reader** Thank you all for your suggestions, and Happy Holidays!  
  
  
  
Curtain Call 


	3. The People of Pine Brook, Selena's Sins:...

Unholy Crusade  
  
Act 2: Breaking Point  
  
Chapter 3: The People of Pine Brook: Selena's Sins, Part 2  
  
((Author's Note & Warning: This chapter is a long one, and deals with some religious issues. If talks of Christianity, untrue statements of Christianity, or negative statments of any religion bother you, I'm sorry. This chapter will not be edited for that, since it is very important with the events. But, to those who don't know me, I have no religion and I appologize for any hurtful statements. And since this chapter is very long, there will be no end of episode bonus this time. There will be one next chapter, promise. Thank you very much, and enjoy this long awaited chapter.))  
  
  
  
~~RECAP~~  
  
Cell then walked away from the tent, and up the hill. He stopped at the very top, and sat in the grass. He watched the tent from where he was, watching over Selena as she slept. He bowed his head in respect.  
  
'What a sad and horrible story for any woman to tell.........'  
  
Something that looked suspiciously like a tear was squeezed from one pink eye and trickled down his beak.  
  
'She was only twelve years old.........'  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Cell spent early morning up one of the few trees in the plain. It was bountiful with leaves, hiding him almost completely. He could only be spotted if someone was looking for him.  
  
He kept his eyes on Selena's tent, trying to see if there was any movement since he last talked to her. For the last few hours, there was nothing at all.  
  
'She looked on the verge of crying......  
  
'Feh, she's stronger than that. I'll laugh if she cried herself to sleep.  
  
'...............  
  
'I wonder when she'll wake up. Soon, I hope.  
  
'What will she answer tonight?  
  
'Will she spare Pine Brook or let me absorb the villagers?  
  
'I'm curious what she will say.......'  
  
He heard rumbling off in the distance, and looked over his shoulder. He could see a gigantic flock of chocobo running around on the other side of the hill, and were being herded by two people on saddled chocobo.  
  
'Wait a minute.......  
  
'Selena was raised in a village not far from here, right?  
  
'Does that make her a chocobo farming hick like the people here?'  
  
He chuckled to himself.  
  
"Heh, heh. I can't picture Selena as a ranch hand in some Irish hick town...."  
  
*****************  
  
"ATCHOO!"  
  
Selena sneezed herself awake, sitting up in her sleeping bag.  
  
"Aw, don't tell me I'm coming down with something......"  
  
She rubbed her nose on her sweats sleeve, and sighed. She didn't sleep much. In fact, when she did sleep, she had the dream again......  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selena began to run.  
  
Everything seemed so slow.  
  
Her foot touched the water like it was solid ground.  
  
She began to run across the water, slightly disturbing the stillness of the lake with slow ripples.  
  
She looked down at her feet and stopped running.  
  
The water rippled out from her feet, warping her reflection in the lake.  
  
She looked at the reflection.  
  
Something was odd about it.  
  
As the ripples began to calm, the reflection became clear.  
  
The reflection was not Selena.  
  
It was Cell.  
  
Selena's heart filled with fear.  
  
Her face paled.  
  
Her eyes widened.  
  
Her breath was stolen away.  
  
The reflection did not move.  
  
"No!" she cried, putting her hands to the side of her head.  
  
The reflection put his hands to the side of his head.  
  
"No! This isn't right!" she screamed. "Go away!".  
  
She kicked the surface of the lake with all her might.  
  
The water suddenly burst into strange, sickly yellow flames.  
  
Selena fell into the flames, feeling no pain.  
  
From the flickering fires, human hands, arms, and the faces of skulls appeared.  
  
The skulls were screaming in horror and pain.  
  
The hands grabbed for Selena.  
  
The arms tried to pin her in one place.  
  
Selena tried to struggle out of them, trying to reach the other side of the lake.  
  
The hands scratched her.  
  
The arms pummeled her with lariats.  
  
The skulls tried to bite her.  
  
She swam through the fire as though it was water.  
  
It all felt like strong gravity trying to drag her down into the yellow flames.  
  
Almost to the other side.  
  
"Sakura!" Selena yelled, reaching out her hand.  
  
The tiny hand seemed so far away, yet was so very close.  
  
Selena jumped foreword to grab the hand.  
  
"Sakura!".  
  
Many hands grabbed her and hoisted her in the air.  
  
Hands from the fire.  
  
Selena was plunged into the flames.  
  
She was dragged down, down, down.  
  
She fell into clawing, biting, yellow emptiness.  
  
"SAKURAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!".  
  
All was black.  
  
She could feel herself moving down.  
  
Into the black.  
  
She wasn't falling.  
  
She was being dragged down.  
  
Her hair flowed around her face as though she was underwater.  
  
"Sakura.I have failed you.  
  
I'm sorry."  
  
)))Selena?(((  
  
A voice was calling out to her.  
  
It was loud, and very clear.  
  
And all around.  
  
Selena opened her eyes and saw nothing but black.  
  
"Who's there?" she called.  
  
)))You have failed no one, Selena.(((  
  
The voice came from everywhere around her.  
  
The voice was the black.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
)))You have failed at nothing.  
  
)))You are still young and have much to learn.  
  
)))You are a great and powerful guardian.  
  
)))Look inside yourself and see the light, not the darkness.(((  
  
"Who are you?" Selena called into the black.  
  
There was no response.  
  
"Hello?".  
  
The black did not respond.  
  
"Come back!".  
  
She continued to be pulled further and further into the darkness.  
  
She couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What is up with this dream?" she asked herself. "Why do I keep having it every night? It'd be nice to have another dream once in a while...."  
  
She had just finished getting dressed in her gi and had started tying her hair in a ponytail. She was just about ready for Krillin to stop by and get out of the area.  
  
But then again......Cell was going to attack Pine Brook tonight.....  
  
She felt she had to stay......  
  
.....then she slapped herself in the face.  
  
"How did that get in my head? Me, stay here? Yeah, bloody, right!"  
  
She finished tying off her ponytail and straightening her bangs before capsulizing her suitcases and sleeping bag.  
  
"Okay, now I wait. C'mon, Krillin, let's get the hell outta here."  
  
She waited about two minutes before she heard rumbling close by. She didn't think it was too strange until she felt the vibrations in the ground. She cautiously put a hand on the ground to feel exactly what it was.  
  
It wasn't a steady shaking, it felt more mixed, as though there were hundreds of feet causing it.  
  
Hundreds of feet, pounding together.....  
  
It took some thinking back, but it hit her like a baseball bat.  
  
"STAMPEDE!"  
  
She quickly ran out the tent before a massive flock of chocobo ran over the hill and flattened it. She ran down the hill, picking up momentum, but the giant birds' long strides caught up with her, and soon she was swept into the stampede of yellow feathers, scared squawks, and pounding feet.  
  
Selena tried not to panic; she had been in chocobo stampedes before. She knew all she had to do was hop on one of them and ride it out until the flock stopped. She looked around to see which was the closest to grab, but all of them were moving too fast.  
  
'C'mon, opportunity, c'mon......'  
  
Suddenly, she tripped. She tried to curl up into a ball to keep from being trampled, but that was a bad idea. She was steped on and kicked over by hundreds of clawed feet. She tumbled back up to a stand and tried to run again.  
  
'Ouch...........now what?'  
  
Then, she heard a loud and very high pitched "WARK!" before she was hoisted up by the back of her shirt and placed on a chocobo's back. She was surprised to see it was saddled and reigned already. Taking it to her advantage, she grabbed the reigns and ushered it over to the outside lines of the stampede.  
  
"Yaa, boy!"  
  
"Coo! Coo!"  
  
The bird swiftly followed her command, running through open spots of the flock. Finally, they reached the outside of the flock and ran away from the mass of giant birds. Selena stopped the chocobo at a safe distance, watching the stampede turn from the village and herded back up the hill.  
  
"I owe you one......" she said to the bird, petting its head. It suddenly whistled at her, a few happy notes.  
  
"Fwo-rwo-rwo!"  
  
Selena froze. She couldn't believe it.  
  
"General!" she cried, leaning over and hugging the chocobo's long neck. "I can't believe it, it's you!" The bird also happily cawed, recognizing her. "Oh, I missed you so much, General. Lookit you, you've grown a lot bigger! You've been eatin' good, right?"  
  
She sat back up and rubbed his head feathers, smiling.  
  
"It's been a while, eh boy?"  
  
Suddenly, the happy reunion was broken by a loud cry...  
  
"STOP! THIEF!"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
There was a loud BANG!, and Selena toppled off the saddle. Before she hit the ground, she felt blood oozing from the bullet wound in her chest.  
  
************************  
  
Krillin and Sakura got their stuff packed up and were ready to leave the inn.  
  
"I'm hungry." Sakura moaned.  
  
"I'm sure Selena has something for us to eat later." Krillin smiled at the girl. "So, let's go find her."  
  
"Okay!" the little girl chirped.  
  
She went to the window to look down at the street below as Krillin fastened the suitcase shut.  
  
'Well, so far so good......  
  
'Only the innkeeper was the creepy thing about this place.  
  
'I guess I'll ask Selena if she's sure Pine Brooks was the place.  
  
'It's just a nice, little farming village with nice, little people......'  
  
"Krillin-san, look!" Sakura pointed down onto the street. "Everyone's all together!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Krillin went to the window to look. He noticed that a lot of the villagers were gathering further down the street, and they were all a-buzz. Something had happened.  
  
"C'mon, let's go see." Krillin decided. He headed out of the room, and Sakura followed. They found Kirkland downstairs about to head out the door.  
  
"Hey!" Krillin called. "What's going on outside?"  
  
"Chocobo thief, by th' look ove it." Kirkland answered, walking out the door. "It's common 'round heyre."  
  
Krillin followed after him.  
  
"Chocobo thief?"  
  
***********************  
  
Everyone was gathered around the barnhouse where Farley kept his flock. Even Farley himself was having trouble getting through the crowd.  
  
" 'Scuse mey. Pardon mey. Must get thrugh....."  
  
Krillin and Sakura managed to tunnel their way through the crowd to get a better view. Krillin saw Farley heading for the barn, and something else right behind him. It looked like a seven foot tall cat with blue fur and a long horn on top its head; it stood on two legs and was wearing primal dress. It was also carrying a person in its muscular arms.  
  
Krillin recognized the blue feline, and instantly freaked.  
  
"It-it-it-it'sa-it'sa-it'sa-it'sa Ronso!"  
  
"Kitty!" Sakura cheered happily.  
  
"Dangerous kitty." Krillin insisted. "Stay back, Sakura."  
  
'What in the world is a Ronso doing down here? And a mountain Ronso at that...  
  
'Why would a mountain Ronso be on the plains?'  
  
Not noticing the two, Farley opened the barn doors.  
  
"Take 'er inside, Banta." he told the Ronso. "I'll follow ya." As the Ronso, Banta, walked inside the barn, Farley turned back to the crowd. "HOYE! FLANNAGIN!"  
  
"Aye!" a call was heard in the crowd.  
  
"Go in tuu! Shey's hurt baad!"  
  
"Wot?" Flannagin asked, stepping out of the crowd.  
  
"Don't let 'er die." Farley ordered. "You gotta help 'er."  
  
"Alright, alright." Flannagin nodded with a sigh. "I'll seey wot I caan do."  
  
As the village doctor walked into the barn, everyone started pressing Farley for questions.  
  
"Alright, alright, settle down now!" Farley ordered, and the villagers fell quiet. "Well, Banta N I were herden the chocobo like usual, since it's they graisin' time, N then I heard ol' Betsy start squawkin' up'a storm. 'Parently, somethin' in this one tree scared 'er. Well, thaat got th' whole flock ina uproar, N they started stampedin' to th' village.  
  
"I told Banta, I said 'We gotta keep 'em outta th' village!', then we rode after 'em. Just aas we came down th' hill, then ol' General....he bucked me right off, N headed inta th' flock. I was 'bout ta go in the flock meself to stop 'im, but Banta made the flock turn away from th' village before they culd storm it. Then, I notice General a ways away, N this girl was sittin on 'im. I figure to meself "Not anotha theif....", so I pull out me gun, a-callin' 'STOP! THIEF!' and shoot 'er.  
  
"Then, the strangest thin' haappened. I walked ova to General N the girl to see if I killed 'er or nuut, N ol' General threw a bloody fit. 'E stood ova her like 'e waas protectin' a chick froma fox. 'E wuldn't let me neer her. Well, Banta finally came back, N I thought 'Guud, aat least all me chocobo listen ta ol' Banta...' N General bit 'im! Right on his paw!"  
  
The villagers were looking at each other uncertanly. Krillin wasn't sure what that ment, but he knew better than to be cross with a Ronso. Ronso angered very easily, to his knowledge.  
  
"Well," Farley continued, "I said ta Banta, 'Thisa weird. I've only seen ol General do this once, N thaat was when I broke me leg N fell. General did wot he's doin' now, N 'E wuldn't let anyone neer me.' Banta got by ol' General anyway, N we brought her baack here. Thaat's when I thought 'General wuld neva protect a thief like thaat, unless shey wasn't a thief in th' first place.' "  
  
"So, who is she?" Kirkland wondered.  
  
"Dunno." Farley shrugged. "But we'll find out. Oh," he gasped, "N one more thin'. Banta N I found 'er tent on th' hill. Got all 'er stuff tuu. So, shey was camped just outside th' village. Dunno why, but I'll ask."  
  
"Tent on the hill?" Krillin scratched his forehead. "Why would...."  
  
'Wait a minute.......  
  
'Oh my God!  
  
'Selena!'  
  
************************  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selena began to run.  
  
Everything seemed so slow.  
  
Her foot touched the water like it was solid ground.  
  
She began to run across the water, slightly disturbing the stillness of the lake with slow ripples.  
  
She looked down at her feet and stopped running.  
  
The water rippled out from her feet, warping her reflection in the lake.  
  
She looked at the reflection.  
  
Something was odd about it.  
  
As the ripples began to calm, the reflection became clear.  
  
The reflection was not Selena.  
  
It was Cell.  
  
Selena's heart filled with fear.  
  
Her face paled.  
  
Her eyes widened.  
  
Her breath was stolen away.  
  
The reflection did not move.  
  
"No!" she cried, putting her hands to the side of her head.  
  
The reflection put his hands to the side of his head.  
  
"No! This isn't right!" she screamed. "Go away!".  
  
She raised her foot to kick at her reflection...  
  
Then, she noticed the reflection was smiling at her...  
  
It was daring her...  
  
She shook her head...  
  
"Who cares about this?!" she yelled...  
  
She kept running across the water...  
  
She finally reached the other side...  
  
She lowered herself down on one knee to the girl's body...  
  
"Sakura? Are you alright?"...  
  
There was no responce from the child...  
  
Selena shook the girl's shoulders...  
  
"Sakura..."  
  
The face of the child rolled in her direction...  
  
It wasn't Sakura...  
  
Selena recognized it, and froze...  
  
"It's......me?!"...  
  
It was her as a child...  
  
In Sakura's clothes...  
  
Lying in a pool of her own blood...  
  
Selena felt the tears fill her eyes...  
  
"This.....can't be...."...  
  
Selena.......  
  
It was a voice...  
  
It was not a voice of the black...  
  
It was Cell...  
  
She turned to see that he was hovering over the water...  
  
His arms were crossed...  
  
His tail wrapped around his legs, and the syringe resting on his feet...  
  
There was no emotion on his face...  
  
Selena picked up the body, and stood...  
  
"You did this!" she shouted...  
  
No. You did....  
  
"That's a lie!"...  
  
You have failed, Selena...  
  
It was you who killed Yukii...  
  
It was you who killed Derak...  
  
It will be you that all the people of Earth will die......  
  
"THAT'S A LIE! ALL OF IT!"...  
  
Give her to me....  
  
Selena looked down at the girl in her arms...  
  
She shook her head...  
  
"No!"...  
  
Cell hissed at her...  
  
KSSSSSSSSSST!...  
  
The flames rose from the water...  
  
Wailing skulls, bony hands...  
  
The blood rained down from the sky...  
  
Selena collapsed to her knees, clutching the body...  
  
"I'll protect you..." she whispered to it...  
  
She felt the darkness close in around her...  
  
"Don't cry..." she said to the body...  
  
"I'll protect you..."...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selena soon regained conciousness, and opened her eyes.  
  
'The dream.....  
  
'It changed.....  
  
'What's going on? What is it trying to tell me?'  
  
She looked around her and found herself in a familiar setting. It looked like a house she had been in before. She was on a couch in a large living room. Nearby was a small kitchen, and someone was making hotcakes on the stove.  
  
She tried to sit up, but the pain forced her to lay back down. Just as she touched the bandaged wound, a giant blue hand put itself on her chest. It was tipped with black claws and covered in a light fur. Selena's gaze went up it's arm, and finally to a being. It was a mountain Ronso by the look of it, and that made her eyes widen in fear.  
  
"Wh...what the..."  
  
"Stay down." he quietly commanded.  
  
Selena froze. Although soft and quiet, that voice had a slight amount of power in it.  
  
"Okay." she agreed, nodding. "I...I will."  
  
"Hoye, Banta?" a voice called from another room. "How she doin'?"  
  
Selena freaked, and covered her face in her hands with a whimper.  
  
'Oh God, it's Farley!  
  
'I'm in Pine Brook! How did I get here?'  
  
She took one hand off her face to peek at him. Nope, he hadn't changed at all. Red hair, tanned skin, muscular as ever. And let's not forget that dashing smile to go with it. Banta looked up at Farley, not saying a word. Farley just nodded at him.  
  
"I'll talk to 'er. Here, go check on th' chocoboes for me, will ya? I'll haave lunch ready when ya get back."  
  
Banta took his hand off Selena's chest as he stood up and walked to a barn door. Farley took his place in the opposite chair as the woman covered her face again.  
  
"Are you alright, darlin'?"  
  
"Where am I?! How did I get here?!"  
  
"Hoye, calm down. This is Pine Brook, small liddle village. See, uh......you were on one ove me chocoboes, N I thought you was some thief, lass."  
  
Selena frowned under her hands.  
  
"I was rudely awakened by a stampede of chocobo. I could've been killed!"  
  
"Aye, thaat tent was right in th' middle ove th' hill. Why didn't you go into town N stay at th' inn?"  
  
Selena gasped.  
  
'Inn?  
  
'Kirkland is still here?!'  
  
She quickly made up a lie.  
  
"I don't have the money."  
  
"For th' inn? I'm sure ya do, lass. Say, wot's yer name anyway? I'm Duke Farley."  
  
Selena huffed, taking her hands off her face.  
  
'Well, he only knows the name Shikimi.....  
  
'And I certainly look different than I did when I was twelve....'  
  
"Selena."  
  
"Oooooh, an American?"  
  
Continuing to lie, Selena nodded her head.  
  
"Well, welcome to Ireland, Selena."  
  
"Now, how did I get here? I'm injured."  
  
"Uh.....heh, heh, heh." Farley rubbed the back of his head. "Thaat was me own fault. See, when I though you was a chocobo thief, I shot ya. But, I got th' village doctor ta fix you up, so you'll be fine now."  
  
Selena rubbed a hand over her bandaged wound. It hurt even at the slightest touch.  
  
"So, I got shot?"  
  
"Lucky ta be alive, tuu." Farley nodded. "So, ta say I'm sorry, you caan stay here for a while. Flannagin said you'd be walkin' around as soon as tonight."  
  
Selena shook her head.  
  
"Thank you, but I have to be going. I can't stay here."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Selena made a sad face, knowing she couldn't tell him.  
  
"I......just can't."  
  
Suddenly, the door burst open.  
  
"SELENA-SAN!"  
  
Selena looked up to see Sakura running through the doors that led from the barn. Krillin was right behind her, walking backwards neverously.  
  
"Nice kitty...." he calmed. "Good kitty.......Good Ronso.......please don't eat me....."  
  
Sakura immediatly went to Selena's side, hugging the girl. Selena winced in pain as she hugged back.  
  
"Easy." she warned. "It hurts a lot."  
  
Krillin then came over to her.  
  
"Oh, man. When I heard it was you, we had to come and see you. Are you okay?"  
  
"Krillin, I was shot in the chest. It just missed my heart by the feel of it. You think I'm okay?"  
  
"Oh, sorry. Hey, at least you're still alive."  
  
Farley looked at the two in confusion.  
  
"You two know 'er?"  
  
"She's our friend!" Sakura insisted.  
  
"Eh.....well...." Krillin tried to come up with a good lie. The last thing he wanted to do was get Selena in trouble. "She's.....an......old friend of ours......and....we were....going to meet up in Dublin! Yeah, we were all headed to Dublin for a get together!"  
  
"You don't have to lie for me, Krillin." Selena insisted. "I didn't have money for the inn, so I let you guys have an inn room for yourselves."  
  
Farley scratched his head in even more confusion.  
  
"What the devil is going on?"  
  
"Uh...." Selena grinned at Farley. "Mr. Farley? I need to talk to them alone for a minute? Can you step outside a second?"  
  
"Well, lemme check on th' cakes, N you all can talk privatly as long as you want."  
  
********************  
  
As soon as Selena was sure no one else was around, she turned to Krillin and Sakura for the bad news.  
  
"Cell is going to attack this village tonight."  
  
"What?" Krillin gasped. Sakura clung to him in fear.  
  
Selena nodded.  
  
"I can't just sit here. We have to do something."  
  
"But......you're still injured." Krillin reasoned. "You can't fight."  
  
"Farley said I'd be okay by nightfall, so my shot wound isn't the problem."  
  
"But still...." Krillin tried to argue.  
  
"What's the problem?" Sakura asked. "You can fight. Right, Selena-san?"  
  
Selena suddenly remembered what Cell told her, and hung her head.  
  
'Selena..........after what you just told me.............I want to know from you......  
  
'Is Pine Brooks worth saving?'  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.  
  
"There's no problem." she insisted. "Tonight, Krillin and I are giving it our all. Sakura, I want you to stay with Farley, okay? He's a gun collector, he can protect you."  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
"Don't get hurt."  
  
"I'm not worrying about that now." Selena insisted with a smirk. "We'll wait until nightfall before we worry about anything."  
  
********************  
  
Banta grunted in frustration. It was going to rain soon, and the change of weather was upsetting the chocoboes. In fact, they were so upset, they wouldn't let Banta near them.  
  
He was trying to reign them inside their stalls to keep them in their pins, but they weren't cooperating. Banta was getting frustrated. They weren't paying attention to him, and squacking at him when he touched them. The bite General gave him was enough to make him feel errataded, but the entire flock.......  
  
The back door to the barn opened, making him turn his head to see who it was. It was the girl. She was walking around, still bandaged, and rotating her shoulders. She saw the Ronso and smiled.  
  
"Sorry for barging in." she waved. "Just wanted to check the sky outside."  
  
Banta turned away from her with a frown, and went back to his work. Selena walked across the barn to the outside set of doors. She easily pushed them open and looked up at the sky.  
  
"Oh, yuck! It's overcast! What is with the weather lately? Damn pre-fall weather..."  
  
"WARK! WARK!"  
  
Selena looked back inside the barn, to see Banta struggling with a chocobo to put on its reigns. It cawed at him in annoyance and leaned its head away. Banta snarled and growled in frustration. Selena smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Hey, do you need help?"  
  
Banta looked at her a moment.  
  
"You should not be walking." he insisted.  
  
"Hey," Selena shruged, "I feel fine. The doctor said I'd be okay by tonight, and I'm not feeling pain at all."  
  
"You should not be walking."  
  
Selena frowned at him.  
  
"I said I'm fine." She started walking towards him. "Now, I think you need help with that chocobo. Can I try?"  
  
Banta lowered and shook his head, seeing that it was futile to get the woman to do what he said. She was worse than these stuborn chocoboes.....  
  
He stepped aside as she came up to the stable.  
  
"Now, who do we have in here? I don't recognize her...." She looked at the name on the door of the stall. She gasped in surprise. "Lucile? Oh, my goodness, Lucile? Is that really you?!" She stood on her toes and patted the giant bird's head. "Lookit you! Lookit you! You're all grown up! I remember when you were a chick! Wow!" She opened the stall door. "Farley taking care of you? I'm amazed how much General has grown too, and he's an old guy."  
  
Banta watched on in fascination. Selena then took the reigns from the door, and walked into the stall. She made sure the door was secure, then started petting down the bird's neck.  
  
"C'mon, Lucile, you've had to do this several times. We need to leash ya so that you won't accidentally run out of the barn." She attempted to loop the reign over the bird's beak, but Lucile squacked in protest. "Oh, c'mon, girl. It's for your own good. You could get stolen, or eaten by a wolf or some horrible creature out on the plains...."  
  
She froze a moment.  
  
'Horrible creature......  
  
'Like Cell.....  
  
'He's coming here tonight.....  
  
'What am I going to do?'  
  
She shook her head fiercely to get out of her own thoughts. Then, she continued with the dillema with Lucile.  
  
"It doesn't even hurt. C'mon, girl."  
  
The chocobo continued to be stubborn. Selena just looped the reigns on the door, and pulled herself up to the top of the stall to look at Banta.  
  
"Has she always been like this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, she obveiously doesn't like being reigned. Chocobo have their own personalities, and they all prefer different things than others do. They're just like people in a sence."  
  
Selena thought for a minute.  
  
"Do you know what her favorite food is?"  
  
Banta walked up to the stall, and easily reached over the stall to pat Lucile's head.  
  
"Green oats."  
  
"Is there a bucket of oats around here?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay. Can I have that bucket please?"  
  
Banta growled for a minute, then walked to the far end of the barn. He grabbed a bucket filled with tiny oat grains, and walked back to the stall. He raised the bucket to her, but she only grabbed a handful of oats before jumping back down to the ground.  
  
"Here you go, Lucile." she cooed, holding her hand out to the chocobo. "You're favorite treat."  
  
"Coo!" Lucile pecked on several of the grains in Selena's hand. When they were completely gone from Selena's palm, she rubbed the bird's head and beak with both her hands. "Are you in a better mood? Yes, you are." she started to baby talk. "Yes, you are, Lucile. That's so much better." Taking one hand off the bird's head, she opened the stall door. "Okay, I'll take the whole bucket, please."  
  
Banta handed it to her. She closed the stall again. Banta pulled himself up so that he could see what Selena was doing. He watched as she poured everything in the bucket into the trove next to the bird. Lucile lowered her head to eat more of her treat. While the bird was occupied, Selena took the reigns off the door. She slowly and carefully roped the reigns around the beak and head, petting Lucile's head in comfort. Then, giving some slack on the leather cord, she tied the end of the reign to the stall door in a tight knot. Giving the bird some pats on the back, Selena then climbed out of the stall. She turned to Banta with a smile.  
  
"It helps to occupy them with their favorite things, like a favorite food or toy. It helps to calm them down." She smiled at him. "Say, what's your name?"  
  
Following proper Ronso introductions, Banta stood straight and tall, bore his teeth, and pounded once on his chest with a gigantic fist.  
  
"Banta Ronso." he growled. Selena blinked at him in astonishment.  
  
"Er........" Then, she held out her hand. "And my name is Selena. It's nice to meet you, Banta."  
  
Banta stared at her hand, not sure what to do.  
  
Selena half frowned.  
  
"Do you know how to shake hands?"  
  
Understanding, Banta took her hand into one of his own, and shook it once before letting go. Selena smiled.  
  
"How long have you been here?"  
  
"One year." the Ronso answered. "Banta think this village nice place to live."  
  
"It is, I guess." Selena huffed. "So....what brought you down here from the mountains? Just looking for a nice place to live?"  
  
Banta narrowed her eyes at her.  
  
"Banta no come here by choice." he snorted. "No reason why you should ask."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Selena quickly appologized. "I didn't mean to get personal. I'm just asking."  
  
Banta closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
"Banta come from mountain to work. Banta and family need money."  
  
Selena blinked in surprise. To her knowledge, the Ronso had no form of currency whatsoever.  
  
"Really."  
  
"Banta will not say more."  
  
"Oh, ok. So, you work here as a farmhand? I'm sure Farley treats ya well."  
  
Banta just nodded.  
  
Selena smiled as she walked over to General's stall.  
  
"Yeah, he's a great guy. He treats everyone like a brother or sister. And all of his chocobo are like his children. He's proud of everyone here." She reached up and patted General's head, making the chocobo coo. "He's a one- of-a-kind guy, alright."  
  
"You have been here before."  
  
Selena was caught off guard, and she turned her head to Banta.  
  
"HUH?!"  
  
Banta walked up to her.  
  
"You have been here, and you did not want to come back."  
  
"How did....?"  
  
"Banta found your tent, and thought for long time. You did not want to come back here. Why is that?"  
  
Selena shook her head.  
  
"Hey, I didn't ask you why you need money for your family. Why should you get personal with me?"  
  
Banta lowered his head.  
  
"Banta understands. Seven years ago, something terrible happened in Pine Brook. Banta must ask, were you here seven years ago, Selena?"  
  
Selena bit her lip, then lowered her head.  
  
"Yes, I was. But I didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"Banta sees. Banta will not ask anymore."  
  
"Thanks." Selena smiled. She looked back up at General, scratching him under his beak.  
  
'Nice to see that there's someone here who doesn't hate me....'  
  
"Banta?"  
  
"Yes, Selena?"  
  
"Make me a promise? Please don't tell anyone I came here before, okay? They might suspect something, and something even more horrible may happen."  
  
Banta nodded, then spread his arms out and back together with a bow. A Ronso prayer.  
  
"With every breath in Banta's body, Banta promise this secret will never be said."  
  
Selena got down from the stall with a smile, and mimicked his movements for her thanks.  
  
"Thank you, Banta."  
  
**************************  
  
Sundown soon came, tinting the sky and the thunderheads above a dull orange. Selena hung out in the barn still, sitting on a stack of hay, and giving her wound a rest. It was feeling a lot better, but it would ache if she moved too fast or if she stretched too far. It was healing nicely based on Flannagin's medicines (it had to be Flannagin, Selena thought, since he's the only doctor in town), but she didn't want to risk reopening the wound.  
  
She closed her eyes and talked to herself a little.  
  
"Papa used to tell me stories all the time. When it was daytime, he would tell me fairy tailes. When it was nighttime, he'd tell me bed time stories. But when it rained with lightning and thunder, I loved to hear his horror stories.  
  
"I remember one story he told, which was taken from the Cathlic side of Ireland. It was a story about a monster who was created by both God and Satan, and born to serve both their purposes. At night, it would rome the country side, seeking out sinners. The story said that if an unlucky sinning man came across its path, the man was devowered, and the man's soul would be taken to hell. The monster's services made both God and the devil happy. This monster was known as the Soul Snatcher.  
  
"But, the monster met its end in a battle with a rogue angel. Since the angel was also a sinner, the Snatcher couldn't help itself to try and eat it. But the angel killed it, and was punnished by both God and Satan for the slaying. Such a pact between God and Satan was never made again."  
  
She half smirked.  
  
"I'm not a Christian, so I wouldn't know that angel's name. I don't really care either. It's just a story some moron made up to get more people to come to his church."  
  
"Oh, so ya not fond of Christianity, eh?"  
  
Selena looked up to see Farley standing next to her. She froze, then laughed nervously.  
  
"No, no, no, no! Not at all. I respect them, by all means. I go to church sometimes, just to hear the bible stories. But......" she had to sit up. ".......the one's I don't like are the ones who push their religion too far."  
  
"Oh?" Farley raised an eyebrow while frowning.  
  
"Heh. I'm guessing you never heard of John List? Well, he was an American back in the '70s. He murdered his entire family in God's name. THOSE are the types of religious fanatics I don't like."  
  
"I think I see." the farmer nodded. "Well, we don't like slanderers who talk down our way of life. Religion bein' an aspect ove thaat."  
  
"Sorry." Selena sighed, laying back down. "I won't do it again."  
  
"That's alright, lass. 'Scuse me."  
  
Farley walked off with a bail of hay to do some extra barn work. Selena ignored him and closed her eyes.  
  
'A creature that takes the souls of man......  
  
'So, Cell......  
  
'Who made you? God or Satan?'  
  
***********************  
  
Night finally came. The dark clouds covered every star in the sky, and it was lightly sprinkling. Selena stood atop the highest point in the village, the church roof. It was still dark, and the village was quiet. There was almost nothing to be seen or heard anywhere around her, and certainly nothing suspicious. Krillin was standing next to her, looking around as well.  
  
"I don't see anything strange." she told him.  
  
"I don't see anything, period." Krillin shook his head. "But, I don't feel anything either. I'm guessing he's not here yet."  
  
Selena bit her lip.  
  
'Sakura should be fast asleep now. She's safe with Farley and Banta.  
  
'I don't think even Cell would tango with a Ronso......  
  
'Banta could crush the guy with one finger.....er, claw....'  
  
Selena continued to look around, not seeing anything suspicious at the moment. Then, movement below caught her eye. Someone was walking down the street, carrying a candle lantern. Selena watched him, and saw he was heading to Farley's house. The man entered into the barn, where brighter light shined on him. Selena then saw his face and hair color.  
  
'Kirkland? What's he doing out here at this time of night?'  
  
She watched as he walked into the barn, then she checked to see if anyone else is around. She didn't see anyone, so she turned back to the barn. It took a while, but he finally came back out, and with something in his arms. He looked at it a moment in the lantern light before walking back down the street. Selena grew alarmed.  
  
"Oh no....."  
  
Krillin looked at her.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"That bastard!"  
  
She slid down the roof, and carefully dropped to the ground before running after him.  
  
"Selena!" Krillin called to her, watching her run towards the man. "Come back!"  
  
"Let her go, Krillin." a voice behind him suggested. "I can deal with her later."  
  
Krillin slowly turned to the one talking to him, and started laughing nervously.  
  
"Heh, heh....oh great......right when she leaves....."  
  
*********************  
  
Selena caught up to Kirkland immediatly.  
  
"HEY! YOU!"  
  
Kirkland turned to her just as she reached him, and she grabbed him by the collar.  
  
"Wot? Wot's th' meaning of this?!"  
  
"Let her go." Selena snapped at him. "Now!"  
  
"Wot are you talkin' about?"  
  
"Selena-san?"  
  
The bundle in his hands stirred awake, and looked up at Selena. The woman just snarled at Kirkland with the greatest of hatred.  
  
"What do you think......you were doing.....taking a child from her bed.....this late at night?!"  
  
"Uh....." Kirkland stopped short. Selena used her free hand to grap Sakura out of his grasp.  
  
"I swear to God, you haven't changed, you perverted bastard!" she hissed at him. "You're not going to hurt Sakura like you hurt me! You'll never do that to a child again!"  
  
"No bad words, Selena-san...." Sakura tried to punnish, but no one was paying attention to her. Selena then put Sakura down.  
  
"Get back into the house, Sakura." Selena ordered. "Don't let this man touch you again."  
  
Kirkland's eyes widened. He recognized her.  
  
"Sh....Shikimi? Is that you?"  
  
As Sakura ran back for Farley's house, Selena grinned at Kirkland.  
  
"Yep. It's me. And you are Andy Kirkland, the man who took something very precious away from me." She grabbed him even harder. "You took away my life, my future......my frikkin innocence at the age of twelve! Then decided to call me a Pagan witch who made you do it! I could kill you for doing that!"  
  
"No....wait....."  
  
"And now you've gone and made this grudge of mine worse by trying to do the same to Sakura." She leaned his face next to his with a snarl. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Kirkland........I'm old enough to give you the proper punnishment."  
  
Kirkland became afraid.  
  
"Don't......don't kill me, Shikimi."  
  
"I'm not gonna kill ya." Selena hissed. "I'm gonna rip your balls off, you pedafile!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Suddenly, there was a crash of lightning! Then, a thud of something falling to her feet before the thunder rolled across the sky. She looked to see....  
  
"Krillin!"  
  
She looked up the church roof to try and figure out what happened. Lightning lit up the sky, and Cell's figure on the roof. Selena snarled, then quickly kicked Kirkland in the groin before chopping him in the neck.  
  
"I'll deal with you later." she decided to his unconcious body. She turned to Krillin, releaved that he was alive.  
  
"Ow..." he muttered.  
  
"Krillin, can you stand?"  
  
"I....I can try...."  
  
As Krillin got up, Selena looked back up at the church roof. Cell motioned to her with his hand to join him. She helped Krillin to his feet.  
  
"Put this guy in the barn, then come up after me, okay?"  
  
"Huh?" Krillin looked over at the body. "Kirland?"  
  
Selena then headed for the church roof.  
  
**************************  
  
She climbed up easily, and saw Cell better in the dim light. She stood a few feet from him as he crossed his arms.  
  
"Was that him down there?" he asked. "The one that bannished you from this village?"  
  
Selena nodded.  
  
"Andy Kirkland. That's him."  
  
Cell shook his head.  
  
"He's a pity."  
  
A flash of lightning and a roar of thunder passed before either of them could talk. It was Cell who spoke first.  
  
"I asked you a question last night, and I want my answer now."  
  
"......." Selena remained silent a moment.  
  
"So, Selena.......Shikimi.......are the people of Pine Brook worth saving?"  
  
"........"  
  
"If you don't give me an answer, I will consume them."  
  
Selena had already thought on her answer, it was just hard to put it in the words she wanted. Standing straight and tall, with her head held high like Banta did before telling his name, she gave his answer.  
  
"Yes. They are worth saving."  
  
Cell stepped backward in astonishment. He was expecting this, but not with such determination. He put his foot back as he look at her.  
  
"Why do you say that? Didn't they drive you out with torches and pitchforks? Didn't one of their kind take away something you will never get back? Wouldn't they kill you today if you told them who you were?"  
  
"Yes, yes, and yes." Selena answered. "But......they are people, nevertheless. I am a guardian, and I protect the people who can't protect themselves. This includes the people of Pine Brook. Even though they may want me dead, and have gotten the wrong idea of me, I will still protect them. Because, this is what I do. I am one who helps those who would never help me, and side with those who hate me if I must, and I would even fight those I befriend if they wish harm of others."  
  
Cell smiled at her.  
  
"Very well said. However, you are one who talks more than takes action." He took a stance on the roof, and raised his hands.  
  
"You say you will protect these people, Selena? The protect them from me, if you can!"  
  
He began to power up. Selena took out her staff and did the same. Their ki began to shake the building, and the church bell moved slowly until it started to toll by itself. Selena and Cell stared at each other intently, ready for one to move.  
  
Even though she resented the people of this village........  
  
.......she wouldn't abandon them to the monster for any reason.  
  
********************  
  
The villagers were awakened by the church bell, and some rushed outside to see what was going on. In the light rain, and the flashes of lightning, some could see two beings doing battle in the air, and on the rooves on several of the houses. Several of the farming men went back inside the house to retrieve any weapons they had. The women and very few children stayed inside and watched from the windows.  
  
Krillin left the barn to help Selena, leaving Kirkland in the house. Sakura, Farley, and Banta watched him leave, as the innkeeper woke up.  
  
"Wot a brave man." Farley sighed about Krillin. "Hey's gonna fight that monsta with his bare hands."  
  
"He's strong." Sakura told him. "So's Selena. They can beat it."  
  
"Wha.....What happened?" Kirkland asked as he came around.  
  
"Kirkland, wot were ya doin out so late?!" Farley asked. "It's gunna rain chocoboes N dogs soon, N they's a monster outside."  
  
"He took me outside." Sakura quickly tattled. "And Selena got all mad and called him a.....'petti-file?' "  
  
Farley narrowed his eyes at his fellow man.  
  
"Andy...."  
  
"I dunno what she's talkin' bout...."  
  
Suddenly, Farley grabbed Kirkland by the throat with one hand.  
  
"You bastaad! Yer at it again?! Didn't I warn ya not ta try it again?!"  
  
Kirkland kicked and choaked as he was being strangled.  
  
"Duke!" he croaked inbetween gasps. "Stop! Listen!"  
  
"Stop it!" Sakura cried. "He didn't hurt anyone!"  
  
"Mr. Farley, stop!" Banta growled.  
  
Farley let go of Kirkland, but punched him in the groin, making Kirkland gasp even more in pain.  
  
Banta walked up to his employeer and stood next to him, just to make sure he didn't act rash again.  
  
"Mr. Farley, Banta cannot understand. What has Mr. Kirkland done?"  
  
Farley closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
"Andy N I knew each otha since we were lads. Andy had a problem growin' up. We discovered 'E haad a Lolita complex. 'E wanted ta marry some liddle girl....... I knew this wasn't good for this God-lovin' man. So, I arranged Andy ta marry a fine woman named Nancy Lockheart. They hit it off well, N were gonna get married.......  
  
"......then, SHE came....."  
  
"Shikimi....." Kirkland coughed. "Reminds me, guess wot, Farley?"  
  
Farley looked down at his friend.  
  
"Wot?"  
  
"That girl......the chocobo thief?"  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"Did'ja know she's Shikimi?"  
  
Farley's eyes almost popped out of his head.  
  
"WOT?!"  
  
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.  
  
"....." Banta looked over at the farm doors, remembering how Selena had helped him.  
  
"Hoye," Kirkland coughed again, "gimme one-o ya guns, mate."  
  
"Wot for?"  
  
"Heh." the innkeeper made a shallow smile. "I'm gonna pay off me sins...."  
  
****************  
  
Selena was finding it harder and harder to concentrate. Cell would have the habit of leaping off one roof and onto another, forcing Selena to jump or use her ki to follow him. It was starting to annoy her. The weather wasn't helping much either. Lighting was flashing more frequently, and the rain was coming down harder. Her clothes were starting to soak in the raindrops, and make her more heavy. Her jumps were coming up shorter and shorter, to the point where she had to grab the side of the rooves and climb up them to get back to fighting Cell.  
  
She also noticed he was doing acrobatics while jumping, doing flips and half twists during jumps. She also noticed he was grinning a lot.  
  
There was no way she could win this fight and he knew it.  
  
They were running out of rooves to jump on, and they were right on the roof of Farley's barn.  
  
Selena finally caught up to Cell, who was just standing up straight and proud while waiting.  
  
"Hold still, dammit!" Selena spat at him.  
  
"No." was his playful answer.  
  
Selena lunged for him, swinging her staff at him. He blocked with one hand and punched her vunerable gut with the other. As she doubled over, he kicked her up into the air. The breath was knocked out of her, so she couldn't retaliate. Cell flew up after her, and tackled her from above. Then, he made a dive with Selena still under him. They impacted on the street, with Selena taking the full blunt.  
  
Cell stood up and crossed his arms as Selena tried to push herself up. She reached for her fallen staff with one bleeding hand, but Cell walked up to it and kicked it away. The woman collapsed with a groan.  
  
"I....can....still fight...." she said softly. Cell shook his head in annoyance. He stomped one foot on Selena's head and put pressure on it.  
  
"I just don't understand you." he growled. "I'm obvieously stronger, smarter, faster, and overall better than you, and you say you can still beat me because 'you have hope.' " He put more pressure down on his foot, making Selena grit her teeth in pain. "How could you have hope when there is no chance at all in succeeding?!"  
  
"I'll tell you that......when you tell me.....why you keep me alive." Selena responded.  
  
Cell snarled.  
  
"Well, you won't be alive much longer, now will you? I estimate that some ribs are broken, and you're lucky that your spine and neck are intact!"  
  
"Feh. You're.......letting me live again....."  
  
Cell narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
"Maybe not this time....."  
  
Selena then grew afraid. Was he serious? Would he really kill her?  
  
"You're bluffing!" she yelled.  
  
"Have I ever lied, Selena?!"  
  
Selena frowned to herself. No, he hadn't. Not once.  
  
"But...." Cell interupted. "I said 'maybe.' I don't know if I should kill you or not. There's been a rise of survivors from my attacks, and I'm losing my reputation as a ruthless killer." He looked down at her, noticing that she wasn't making a sound. "Still alive down there?"  
  
"And kicking." Selena grunted. "And ready.....for another round......if you let me up."  
  
"Heh." Cell smirked, lifting his foot off her. "Get up if you can."  
  
Selena started to push herself up, but collapsed in pain.  
  
'He wasn't kidding....... A rib's broken.....  
  
'.....Maybe more than one rib.....'  
  
"I thought so." Cell shook his head. "Pity. I guess everyone has their limitations...."  
  
"SELENA! CELL, YOU BASTARD!"  
  
Cell looked up to see Krillin charging towards him. The android frowned.  
  
"Again. Pity."  
  
Cell stayed where he was and let Krillin lunge at him. Cell quickly knocked him aside, flinging him into the brick wall of a house. Then walked over to him and tossed him across the street and broke a hole in the barn wall. Cell clapped his hands up and down to clean them of dirt.  
  
"So much for that."  
  
"HOYE, YU!"  
  
Cell turned to see who it was. Just as he noticed he was staring right into the nose of a high-powered rifle....  
  
POOM!  
  
Cell shrieked in absolute pain, staggering over and holding his face tightly. Blood was spilling through his fingers and dripping onto the street. Selena lifted her head to see who it was. A great amount of surprise kept her frozen.  
  
"Kirkland?"  
  
"Got ya covered, dear!" the man winked at her, cocking the gun and lining up his next and last bullet. He turned to Cell. "Hoye, bugga. Leave her alone. Come N take me instead!"  
  
Cell growled at him, taking his hands away and showing that his left eye was completely obliterated.  
  
"Gladly." he growled, marching towards him. Kirkland aimed his gun again and prepared to fire.  
  
"Kirkland!" Selena screamed. "No!"  
  
"Take it easy, Shikimi!" he yelled. "I know I'ma bad man. Jest call this me last good deed for ya."  
  
Selena lowered her head, pounding her fist into the ground.  
  
"Kirkland.....no.....run.....please...."  
  
She refused to raise her head, hearing Cell's stomps grow farther away.  
  
Then, the gunshot......  
  
Then, Kirkland's dying screams......  
  
Then, the rain coming down even harder onto the ground......  
  
Then, silence as loss of blood made her fade out......  
  
******************  
  
Selena woke up in the barn, seeing Krillin hovering over her. Sakura was laying next to her, apparently injured too.  
  
"Hey, good to see you're alright, Selena." Krillin smiled faintly.  
  
Selena turned to him.  
  
"What happened to Sakura.....and Kirkland...."  
  
Krillin frowned and lowered his head.  
  
"Cell got Kirkland." he muttered. "Then, everyone came out and tried to stop him, but Cell just yelled at them to get out of his way and he walked out. Sakura.....got in his way trying to get to you. He kicked her through a house. She's okay. She just hit her head."  
  
Selena put a hand on the girl's head, feeling the bandaged gash. She sat up, feeling her torso protest in pain. She was sitting on the bail of hay she was on earlier. She heard voices outside, knowing that everyone was gathered outside and waiting for them.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
"They want us out of here as soon as you woke up." he explained. "They think Cell came because of you."  
  
Selena sighed and stood up, her body shaking in pain.  
  
"They're half right."  
  
**********************  
  
All three headed out of the barn, draped in water-proof cloaks. Farley gave Selena back her capsules along with some food to take. He didn't say another word to her afterward. Selena had packed away the capsule cases and carried Sakura in her arms under her cloak.  
  
Selena and Krillin immediatley met all the villagers standing around the barn. Most had pitchforks, scythes, and other farm tools that could be considered weapons, others carried clubs which were once torches before the rain came down. Selena nodded at them, and started walking. She could tell by the looks in their eyes, they remembered who she was. And without Kirkland here to clear the story, and Farley no longer willing to talk, Selena was still considered a witch.  
  
Some of the crowd parted for her, and let her walk towards the outskirts. She walked slowly, hearing the rain pounding down from the sky. She kept her head down, almost in shame. Why was she brought here? Was was all of this being a burden to her?  
  
'Why do you hate me, God?'  
  
Then, she heard very loud sobbing in front of her. Selena looked up to see Nancy Lockheart Kirkland not moving from the crowd. The widow was crying into Kirkland's stabbed shirt, staying in front of Selena. Selena stopped and frowned. She felt like crying too. Kirkland had died because of her......  
  
Nancy angrily raised her head to Selena.  
  
"Yu brought it here, didn't'ja yu WITCH?! Yu brought it here ta kill us! Yu want us all dead, don't'ja?!"  
  
"That's not true...." Selena muttered. "None of it."  
  
"ME HUBBY'S DEAD COZ'A YU!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Nancy."  
  
"We shuld burn yu aat th' stake! Yu belong in th' depths of hell! YU'RE EVIL!"  
  
Selena screamed, and ran past Nancy, pushing her aside. Selena started sobbing as she ran. Nancy chased after her, as well as the other villagers that started to agree with her.  
  
Selena was crying so hard that she tripped on a loose cobblestone and fell. Sakura woke up and started crying too. Selena hugged her close, knowing that the angry mob was close by and was going to clobber them to death.  
  
'No......please........help.....'  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud roar that wasn't thunder. The villagers looked behind them to see a Ronso charging towards them. Banta jumped clear over them and stood right on the edge of the outskirt. Behind him was the wide open plain, and Selena's freedom. Krillin rushed to Selena's side to help her up as Banta took out a spear. He stabbed the spear into the ground just ahead of him.  
  
"Whoever cross this spear," he called to the villagers, "Banta will kill!" He looked down at Selena and nodded.  
  
Selena gave one last sob before she smiled weakly and got up.  
  
"C'mon, Krillin."  
  
Krillin looked at her in shock.  
  
"But, he said...."  
  
"Come on!"  
  
Krillin walked behind her, nervously. Selena walked until she was standing right next to the Ronso.  
  
"Thank you, Banta." she whispered.  
  
"Go." was all he said.  
  
Selena nodded, and headed off with Krillin by her side onto the plains.  
  
********************  
  
Rather than watching Selena go, Cell watched the people of Pine Brook in disgust.  
  
His eye was blown out of it's socket and he was mad as hell.  
  
He couldn't take it anymore.  
  
As soon as he was sure Selena had left the area, he stood from the church roof down at the people.  
  
"Sinners!" he shouted at them. All of them turned their eyes to him as he glared at them through one good eye.  
  
"ALL OF YOU ARE SINNERS!"  
  
He pounced down to the ground, and ran for them.  
  
Every single one of them would be eaten tonight!  
  
  
  
To Be Continued!  
  
Cell: WHAT? NO END OF EPISODE BONUS?!  
  
Masq: The chapter was too long.  
  
Cell: Well, don't make them so long next time!  
  
Masq: Sorry.  
  
Cell: So, when's the next update?  
  
Masq: I'm working on it!  
  
Cell: **chases her** Work faster! 


	4. Newfound Feelings, And A Truce

Unholy Crusade  
  
Act 2: Breaking Point  
Mini Series: Hunt for Android 17  
  
Chapter 4: Newfound Feelings, And The Truce  
Last time:  
  
Then, she heard very loud sobbing in front of her. Selena looked up to see Nancy Lockheart Kirkland not moving from the crowd. The widow was crying into Kirkland's stabbed shirt, staying in front of Selena. Selena stopped and frowned. She felt like crying too. Kirkland had died because of her......  
  
Nancy angrily raised her head to Selena.  
  
"Yu brought it here, didn't'ja yu WITCH?! Yu brought it here ta kill us! Yu want us all dead, don't'ja?!"  
  
"That's not true...." Selena muttered. "None of it."  
  
"ME HUBBY'S DEAD COZ'A YU!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Nancy."  
  
"We shuld burn yu aat th' stake! Yu belong in th' depths of hell! YU'RE EVIL!"  
  
--------------------------  
  
Rather than watching Selena go, Cell watched the people of Pine Brook in disgust.  
  
His eye was blown out of it's socket and he was mad as hell.  
  
He couldn't take it anymore.  
  
As soon as he was sure Selena had left the area, he stood from the church roof down at the people.  
  
"Sinners!" he shouted at them. All of them turned their eyes to him as he glared at them through one good eye.  
  
"ALL OF YOU ARE SINNERS!"  
  
***************************  
Selena soon became too tired to run as the rain poured down in bucketfulls. Her clothes were getting heavier as they soaked up water, her hair stuck to her face and skin, and she couldn't see through the thick sheets of raindrops.  
  
Her arms felt weak, and she accedently dropped Sakura to her feet. The girl started to cry, and Krillin quickly went to her side and picked her up.  
  
"It's okay." he told the girl. "Shhh, shh, shh, shh. It's okay, Sakura." He looked up at Selena. "Selena, are you alright?"  
  
"................." That was a dumb question, of course she wasn't alright. She had never cried so hard then what she was doing now. She took a step foreword, feeling all her strength being used up to even raise her foot. She put her hands on her knees and heaved in breath.  
  
"We........need to find shelter." she said over the rain. "There.......should be.......a thicket of trees.......round here somewhere......"  
  
Then, she collapsed into the ground.  
  
"Selena!" Krillin cried. "Selena, get up! Selena!"  
  
She had blacked out, not able to take the weight from her clothes..........  
  
..........or from the hole that had been torn in her spirit............  
  
******************  
  
Banta was thrown into another wall, making the house collapse on top of him. Cell waited patiently as the wreckage completely collapsed. The rain wasn't bothering at all, but it would sting his eye wound once in a while. Beating up the Ronso was helping him to think more clearly and calm his rage.  
  
Besides, the sight of stabbed clothing belonging to every single villager in Pine Brook made him feel more comfortable.  
  
Banta then clawed his way out of the wreckage, and stood holding his spear in hand. Cell closed his eye and chuckled.  
  
"Ronso lucky." he mocked in a Ronso accent. "Cell can't absorb Ronso people, so Ronso can walk away alive."  
  
"Mr. Farley......." Banta growled. "You killed Mr. Farley."  
  
Cell opened his eye and glared at the giant cat.  
  
"He deserved it. They all did. I killed only fools."  
  
Banta roared and charged for Cell again. The android just shook his head.  
  
"What slow learners these Ronso are." he muttered, grabbing the spear in one hand and hoisting it up into the air. Banta was flung to the other side of the road, and into another wall. Bringing yet another house down.  
  
"Don't wear yourself out." Cell yelled sarcastically. "I could do this for hours."  
  
Again, Banta clawed his way out of the wreckage, but this time he was injured. One arm was broken, and he used the other one to hold his spear at Cell.  
  
"You killed good friend who helped Banta." the Ronso growled. "You will die for what you have done."  
  
"Give up." Cell advised. "You'll need both arms to defeat me properly."  
  
"Banta will not back down until your blood is stained on Banta's spearhead!"  
  
Cell itched at the skin under his wound, bored.  
  
"I might as well leave. Now I've lost my patience." He turned to leave, and Banta took that moment to charge.  
  
"RAAAAAAAAR!"  
  
Cell growled.  
  
"You persistant pest!"  
  
Cell swiftly turned to the Ronso and punched him right in the face. Banta was flung right into the chocobo barn, where he did not move. His spear stuck into the ground just outside. Cell lowered his fist and walked away.  
  
"You will live." he decided. "My business is with humans."  
  
In the barn, Banta sat up best he could. The chocobo were becoming agitated and frightened by the new hole in the barn wall. Banta carefully stood up, holding his lame arm.  
  
"WARK! WARK!"  
  
He looked to General's stall, seeing that the chocobo was clawing and pecking at the door to get out. Understanding why, Banta quickly stumbled to the stall door, and opened it.  
  
"Protect Selena!" he ordered as the chocobo ran out of the stall and lept through the hole. Watching him go, Banta decided not to give up yet, and hobbled over to open the other stalls.  
  
"Wait for Banta......."  
  
***********************  
  
Krillin tried to make due by carrying Sakura in his arms and Selena on his back. However, the unconscious Selena kept slipping off his back and into the mud. His hands were full, and Selena just seemed to weigh heavier and heavier when he kept carrying her.  
  
"Oh, man...." he groaned. "Where is this thicket Selena talked about.....???"  
  
Then, he suddenly heard a loud cry behind him. He turned to see something big come into view.  
  
"Whoa.....what the...."  
  
"WARK! WARK!"  
  
It was a chocobo! General to be exact! The giant bird rushed to Selena's side picking her off Krillin's back and dropping the woman to the ground. It cooed and poked at her, with only moans in pain for responces.  
  
"Hey," Krillin tried to stop, "you'll hurt her if you do that...."  
  
General quickly stood over Selena, fanned out his fluffy and small wings and lowered his head menacingly. He was standing over her protectively, like he had done before.  
  
"Waaaark!"  
  
"Stop that, she needs help!"  
  
"Wark!"  
  
General picked up Selena with his beak and tossed her onto his back. Before Krillin could protest anymore, the chocobo trotted off with her.  
  
"HEY!" he shouted, trying to run after the bird. "Come back! You can't do that!"  
  
"Cuu! Cuu!"  
  
"Come back!"  
  
Krillin soon tired himself onto one knee, panting and holding Sakura tightly to him.  
  
"Why does this crap always happen to me?!"  
  
*********************  
  
'The lightning seemed to have stopped, so I guess it's safe to sit under a tree.....'  
  
Cell had found a tree through the dark shroud of the pouring rain, and he scrambled to it for shelter. It was very small shelter, but he was satisfied with it and sat with an exhausted sigh.  
  
"Finally."  
  
He put his fingers on his empty eyesocket, feeling the bullet still embedded in his skin. It stung at the touch, and then there was the annoying itch just under the wounded skin. He delicately scratched at it before working at his wound. He carefully took two claws to the bullet and pinched on it.  
  
Sucking in a breath, and counting to three, he pulled on it. The bullet popped out of the eye socket, dripping blood. Cell quickly threw it away, and put both hands on his bleeding wound. He growled in pain.  
  
'Damn humans.........I'll eat every last one of them for this!  
  
'This hurts like hell!'  
  
When he felt the pain was bearable, he carefully rubbed his finger into the wound, provoking the regenerative fluids. The Namek DNA kicked in, and his eye began to rejenerate. Cell gritted his teeth, trying not to scream at the sudden burst of ki. The ki formed around the left side of his face, forcing skin to grow and nerves to rebuild themselves. Soon, his eye was regenerated, and yellow fluid covered the left side of his face.  
  
Cell quickly squinted his left eye shut. It hurt to look with it still. He held out his hands to cup rain water, and used it to wash his face off.  
  
'This feels better, but I don't think I should use my new eye just yet......  
  
'I wonder how Selena is doing......'  
  
Then, he heard a thud nearby. It sounded like something fell. Covering his closed eye with one hand, Cell crept from the tree for a closer look. He could see a chocobo nearby, prodding at something on the ground with its beak. Cell moved closer to see what it was.  
  
It was a human body...... He squinted with his good eye to see who exactly it was.  
  
The face was pointed up into the raining sky, and the features were instantly recognizable.  
  
Cell quickly rushed to her in worry.  
  
"Selena!"  
  
The chocobo quickly stood over the fallen girl and took its defensive posture. Cell blinked in surprise at the giant bird.  
  
"Wait........are you the same one.........that defended her back at the village?"  
  
"Waaaaark! Waaaaark!"  
  
Cell smiled, realizing the bird was trying to help her. He quickly manuvered around the bird's legs, and scooped Selena in his arms. He backed away as the chocobo tried to attack him.  
  
"WARK! WARK!"  
  
"This is no attitude to have right now!" Cell scolded. "She'll die if she stays out here." He looked around to see where Krillin and Sakura were, but the chocobo continued to attack him. Cell dodged its clawed feet and beak with ease, not even being touched.  
  
"That's enough." He ordered, grabbing its reign with one hand. He forced the bird to look down at Selena. "See? She is safe with me. I won't hurt her. At least, not at the moment, I won't hurt her." The chocobo seemed to calm down, and warbled softly in sadness. Cell let go of the reigns, and headed back to the tree. The chocobo followed him. Cell knelt down and tilted Selena's head up to get a good look at her.  
  
There was mud all over her face, hair, and clothes. She had more than likely collapsed several times during her escape. Cell wiped the mud away with his hand, and cleared her mouth and nostrals with his claws. She was breathing, and her heartbeat was steady. If kept in a shelter to rest, she would be alright.  
  
He got up and looked around. Through the pounding rain, nothing could be seen. But some of the underbrush and small stretch of forest would have to do than just a single tree. Cell began to walk north, hunching over Selena to help keep her dry. The chocobo followed after him.  
  
"Bruu-ruu-uuu!"  
  
Cell glared at it.  
  
"Why are you following me? She'll be fine, trust me."  
  
"Bruu-ruu-uuu!"  
  
Cell felt like blasting it to smitherins.......  
  
.....but then Selena gave out a sleepy moan.  
  
Cell looked down at her, and repositioned her slightly so that she would be comfortable. He accidently hit one of her broken rips, and she whimpered. The chocobo was immediatly at her side, cooing and warbling.  
  
Cell watched in fascination.  
  
'What is the deal with this giant chicken? What is it about Selena that draws it to her?  
  
'I guess I can't get rid of it. It'll just have to come along.'  
  
"Alright, let's go." he said silently to the bird, walking foreword. The chocobo walked right beside him, looking around. Cell stared down at Selena, seeing that she had grown quiet again.  
  
'What is it about this girl that fascinates me? She's just another human girl, no different from the rest. Why am I constantly thinking about her, and treating her this way....?  
  
'I guess..........it's because.........  
  
'Do I have feelings for her? Do I care for her? Do I have feelings for her and the need to protect her just like the androids?  
  
'I'm not sure I understand what is happening..........but if I let this develop further, perhaps a clear answer will come to me........'  
  
******************  
  
Cell and the bird walked for about an hour until they finally came to a massive outcropping of underbrush and small trees. The plants were so cramped together, the ground underneith them was perfectly dry. Cell smiled at his finding. Shelter at last.  
  
He got down on one knee and parted a bush slightly. He instantly frowned, seeing that it was already occupied.  
  
Krillin and Sakura were sleeping inside, propped up on a tree trunk. Cell let go of the bush and stood back up.  
  
"I guess this is where we leave her....."  
  
"Cuu! Cuu!"  
  
The chocobo dug at the ground by the bushes, and pushed past Cell to get through. Cell stepped aside with a grunt, and the giant bird crawled into the underbrush and nestled beside Krillin and Sakura. It sat, hiding its legs, and ruffled its wet feathers until they were dry. Cell smiled to himself.  
  
"I see."  
  
He too carefully crawled in, and set Selena on the bird's other side. The girl's head leaned on the soft feathers, and she sighed slightly. The bird tucked it's beak into one wing, and kept one eye on Cell. Cell looked a moment at Selena, then carefully moved some wet hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.  
  
"I guess.....I should go." he said to no one in particular, then he crawled out of the underbrush and back into the rain. He looked around to see if any sign of his presence was around, then he took off to find shelter of his own. He smiled as he went.  
  
'The only way I can put my feelings for now is..........  
  
'..........I care about Selena as much as I care for my dear androids......'  
  
*****************  
  
That morning, the rain had completely stopped but left behind black clouds. Selena and the others woke up to see that they were reunited and that General was with them. Selena theorized that General brought her to her friends after suddenly running off. Just happy to be together, the friends dismissed all that happened. Taking General as their new mode of transportation, Selena guided the others into a nearby town with people. She checked them into a doctor for their injuries, and all were treated.  
  
Selena and Sakura were able to walk out, but both were still in pain. Krillin had minor injuries and would heal in a matter of days. Selena was also surprised to see Banta was also at the hospital being treated for a broken arm. He told them that Cell had left, killing everyone in Pine Brook. Selena ignored that, and asked which way Cell had gone. The Ronso shook his head, not knowing. He advised the woman to stay away from the creature, for it would kill her. She then launched into her quest to kill the creature, and that she would be successful. Banta wished her luck, and said he was going into another town with Farley's flock of chocobo. He let Selena keep General.  
  
So, Selena, Krillin, and Sakura headed off on the hunt for Cell. Selena was confident that in her next encounter with Cell that she would kill him. Even though he was stronger and faster and overall better than she was, she counted on his overconfidence as a weakness. However, she felt she needed more training to be able to keep up with him in battle. She would have also appreaciated learning his techniques and fighting style so that she could counter him. Except for that, she felt she had the inner strength to defeat him.  
  
Little would she and Cell realize the events that would soon take place..........  
  
.........would bring them closer together than they ever imagined................  
  
**********************  
  
Two days after the battle in Pine Brook..........  
  
Selena packed up her purse, making sure there was money and her paperwork inside. Then, she walked out of the tent. Krillin was teaching Sakura how to play old maid outside, while General was comfortably seated by Sakura's side. Selena smiled at them.  
  
"Who's winning?" she asked.  
  
"The bird." Krillin moaned as General plucked out a card from Krillin's hand with his beak. "Gaaak! I'm tellin' ya, Selena, this is embarassing!"  
  
Selena had a good laugh, and gave Sakura a wink.  
  
"Well, I'm headed into the next town to see if they have a gas station. I'll bring back some food too. Anyone have any requests?"  
  
"Can we have pankakes?" Sakura asked. "I don't like having oatmeal all the time."  
  
Selena nodded.  
  
"Okay, cake mix is on the list. Anything else?"  
  
"I think we're good." Krillin nodded, picking a card from Sakura's hand. "Heh, heh. Almost out."  
  
"Okay, well, I'll be back in about half an hour. So, don't panic if I'm not back soon."  
  
"No prob, Selena." Krillin assured as General took another card. "We'll watch over this place while you're gone. Cell wouldn't even think of making a surprise attack with us here."  
  
Selena nodded, then headed off on foot. Just as she was out of the camp, she heard Krillin yell:  
  
"NOOOOO! I'M STUCK WITH THE OLD MAID!"  
  
Selena fell to her knees laughing.  
  
"Sorry, Krillin." she said to herself. "I should have told you that General is the poker player of his flock."  
  
*********************  
  
Selena soon stopped upon the road sign: MAPLETON, 1 MILE.  
  
She nodded at it, and took off at a run.  
  
"Mapleton.........so, it's about fifty or so miles to Dublin, and I know for a fact that city has a gas station."  
  
As she approached the city outskirts, and very foul stench made her stop running and quickly cover her mouth and nose.  
  
"OH GOD! YUCK!" She backed up and looked around. Nothing looked out of place, and the smell seemed to be coming everywhere. "Jeez, what is that SMELL!?!" she growled, walking foreword. "That is nasty....."  
  
She headed into the town, noticing that the residental area was completely quiet. There was some signs of a mass rush of panic: broken windows, kicked in doors, massive footprints in gardens and patches of dirt........  
  
'Cell? So soon?.....'  
  
Looking around, she didn't see any limp clothing lying around.... It couldn't have been Cell......  
  
'Wait a minute.....'  
  
She decided to go into one of the houses, and crawled in through a broken window. Looking around, she found a couple asleep in their beds. She moved in to wake them up, but found their bodies were ice cold.  
  
They were dead.  
  
'I don't get it. What in the world caused this.....???'  
  
She got out of the house, and headed further into the town. By the time she got to the main square, she froze in fear.  
  
"Oh my God........."  
  
People were lying dead in the streets where they had stood. Some had their eyes open, and looked to be in terrified shock. Men, women, and children were completely strewn throughout the streets, making it impossible to walk through without stepping on a dead body.  
  
Selena stumbled backwards in horror.  
  
"What.......happened here......"  
  
Then, she remembered the stench. It was still present, and worse than ever. It wasn't the smell of decomposing bodies, everyone died reciently.  
  
Selena blinked a few times, juggling ideas into her head.  
  
"A gas bomb?"  
  
She heard gunfire nearby, and turned her head in that direction. She reached behind her and clutched her staff while snarling.  
  
"Who would do such a horrible thing....?"  
  
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and held her back.  
  
"No! Don't go further!"  
  
Selena snarled and struggled.  
  
"Lemme go, Cell! What are you doing?!"  
  
"We need to get to higher ground....before you breathe in any more of this gas."  
  
"Put me down!"  
  
Cell jumped up to a rooftop of a house before he let go of Selena.  
  
"There." he sighed. "It's not as bad up here."  
  
"What is?!" she demanded. "What did you do to these people?!"  
  
"Nothing." he shook his head. "Well, I was going to attack this town for an energy boost, and I find everyone gassed to death." Selena watched his tail swing around violently as he scowled. "By the smell of it, it's Mako. Very spoiled Mako."  
  
"What the hell is Mako?" Selena demanded. "And who did this?!"  
  
"I don't know." Cell answered sourly. "I can't find anyone alive. I don't see any gas masks anywhere. I can only assume that the one who set off this gas is dead too....."  
  
Another shot rang out.  
  
"........or not...."  
  
"So, let's go get this guy!" Selena insisted. "Cause this is one hell of a terrorist act!"  
  
"I'm not sure it's a terrorist." Cell shook his head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Selena, have you listened to the news lately? Have you heard of people commiting suicide in the area..........in alarmingly large numbers?"  
  
Selena crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg.  
  
"I haven't listened to the radio for a long time, and I don't have a TV. What's suicide got to do with anything?"  
  
"I don't absorb the dead, no matter how long the body's been dead. Apparently, word spread about that, so people started killing themselves so that I wouldn't absorb them."  
  
Selena scratched her head.  
  
"Now that you mention it, I remember seeing one hung guy in a town you attacked. So, what does that have to do with this?"  
  
Cell stared at her for a moment, hoping that some idea would sink in her head. When it didn't he looked away from her.  
  
"I think it's too much of a coincidence that the people in this town, the town I planned to attack, were killed before I even got here."  
  
The idea sunk in then. Selena turned to Cell angrily.  
  
"Are you saying someone is trying to prevent you from killing people?!"  
  
Cell nodded a couple of times.  
  
Selena fumed to herself, clutching her fists and shivering.  
  
"I don't believe this! These people didn't do anything! And they were just snuffed out! This is absolutely insane! What kind of nut would do this?!"  
  
"Someone who would prevent me from absorbing more energy." Cell theorized.  
  
Another shot rang out.  
  
"And that someone is probably still here, looking for survivors. We can't do anything until the gas breaks down, or we'll be poisoned. We'll just have to stay up here until it's safe."  
  
Selena looked at Cell curiously.  
  
" What's with the 'we' and 'we'll' talk? Are you saying I should help you?"  
  
Cell looked at Selena.  
  
"Please? I might need it."  
  
Selena shrugged.  
  
"Sure. Okay, I'll help you out, but just this once, and that's it."  
  
Cell smiled slightly.  
  
"Fine by me."  
  
"Shake on it."  
  
"What?"  
  
Selena extended her hand.  
  
"Just to make it official. I mean, since when have we helped each other out?"  
  
Cell thought back to last night in the rain, but he decided not to bring it up.  
  
"Why exactly do I need to shake your hand?"  
  
"That's what you do when you make a truce, right?"  
  
Cell had to laugh.  
  
"You humans and your silly traditions...."  
  
He grabbed her hand and shook it anyway.  
  
"Now it is official. Are you happy?"  
  
Selena nodded, then sat down on the roof.  
  
"So, how long do we have to wait and what's Mako?"  
  
To be Continued!  
  
End of Episode SUPER BONUS!  
  
Cell: What in the world is going on? What's up with the ending?  
  
Masq: I was rushed. I wanted to get this chapter done as soon as possible and still leave room for these bonuses.  
  
Selena: No, he means what's going on? Who's gassing the towns?  
  
Masq: I'm not saying anything.  
  
Cell: **looks at the title** It says "Hunt for 17," so is it 17?  
  
Masq: **sweatdrop** I didn't say anything......  
  
Selena: Well, whether it is or isn't, the Antagonists have songs to perform. TWO of them.  
  
Masq: Yeah, to make up for last chapter. So, hope you all out there enjoy them. I have to take my seat.  
  
Selena: Let's get on stage.  
  
Cell: Okay. I got the sterio ready.....  
  
((The stage lights go on and the crowd cheers.))  
  
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen! The Antagonists will now perform "Disease" by Matchbox 20!  
  
((The crowd cheers.))  
  
Masq: Whoo! Matchbox 20! Mad Season is the best album ever!  
  
((The music starts up, Cell and Selena are the only ones on stage. Both begin to perform.))  
  
Cell: Feels like you made a mistake.....  
  
Selena: You made somebody's heart break  
  
Cell: But now I have to let you go  
  
Selena: I have to let you go  
  
((As the music picks up, they sing together.))  
  
Both:  
  
You left a stain  
  
On every one of my good days  
  
But I am stronger than you know  
  
I have to let you go  
  
No one's ever turned you over  
  
No one's tried  
  
To ever let you down,  
  
Beautiful girl  
  
Bless your heart  
  
I got a disease  
  
Deep inside me  
  
Makes me feel uneasy baby  
  
I can't live without you  
  
Tell me what I am supposed to do about it  
  
Keep your distance from it  
  
Don't pay no attention to me  
  
I got a disease  
  
Feels like you're making a mess  
  
You're hell on wheels in a black dress  
  
You drove me to the fire  
  
And left me there to burn  
  
Every little thing you do is tragic  
  
All my life, oh was magic  
  
Beautiful girl  
  
I can't breathe  
  
I got a disease  
  
Deep inside me  
  
Makes me feel uneasy baby  
  
I can't live without you  
  
Tell me what I am supposed to do about it  
  
Keep your distance from it  
  
Don't pay no attention to me  
  
I got a disease  
  
I think that I'm sick  
  
But leave me be while my world is coming down on me  
  
You taste like honey, honey  
  
Tell me can I be your honey  
  
Be, be strong  
  
Keep telling myself it that won't take long till  
  
I'm free of my disease  
  
Yeah well free of my disease  
  
Free of my disease  
  
I got a disease  
  
Deep inside me  
  
Makes me feel uneasy baby  
  
I can't live without you  
  
Tell me what I am supposed to do about it  
  
Keep your distance from it  
  
Don't pay no attention to me  
  
I got a disease  
  
I think that I'm sick  
  
But leave me be while my world is coming down on me  
  
You taste like honey, honey  
  
Tell me can I be your honey  
  
Be, be strong  
  
Keep telling myself it that won't take long till  
  
I'm free of my disease  
  
Yeah well free of my disease  
  
Free of my disease  
  
((The music ends, the crowd cheers like crazy while Selena and Cell take a bow.))  
  
Selena: Thanks, everyone. It took a long time to finally get it down together.  
  
((Cell just smiles.))  
  
Selena: Okay, we'll take an intermission before the next song! Thanks again!  
  
((The curtain goes down.))  
  
((INTERMISSION))  
  
((When the curtain goes back up, the band has all of their equipment out. Only Krillin is in front of the microphone, and Selena is on the keyboard.))  
  
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen! The Antagonists!  
  
((The crowd cheers again as the band starts up the song "Girl All The Bad Guys Want" by Bowling for Soup.))  
  
Krillin:  
  
8 o'clock, Monday night and I'm waitin'  
  
To finally talk to a girl a little cooler than me.  
  
Her name is Nona, she's a rocker with a nose ring,  
  
She wears a two way, but I'm not quite sure what that means.  
  
And when she walks,  
  
All the wind blows and the angels sing.  
  
She doesn't notice me!  
  
Cause she is watchin' wrestling  
  
Creamin' over tough guys  
  
Listenin' to rap metal  
  
Turntables in her eyes  
  
It's like a bad movie  
  
She is lookin' through me  
  
If you were me, then you'd be  
  
Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"  
  
As I fail miserably,  
  
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She likes the godsmack and I like agent orange  
  
Her cd changer's full of singers that are mad at their dad  
  
She says she'd like to score some reefer and a forty  
  
She'll never know that I'm the best that she'll never have  
  
And when she walks,  
  
All the wind blows and the angels sing.  
  
She'll never notice me!  
  
Cause she is watchin' wrestling  
  
Creamin' over tough guys  
  
Listenin' to rap metal  
  
Turntables in her eyes  
  
She likes 'em with a mustache  
  
Racetrack season pass  
  
Drivin' in a Trans-Am  
  
Does a mullet make a man?  
  
It's like a bad movie  
  
She is lookin' through me  
  
If you were me, then you'd be  
  
Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"  
  
As I fail miserably,  
  
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
There she goes again  
  
With fishnets on, and dreadlocks in her hair  
  
She broke my heart, I wanna be sedated  
  
All I wanted was to see her naked!  
  
Now I am watchin' wrestling  
  
Tryin' to be a tough guy  
  
Listenin' to rap metal  
  
Turntables in my eyes  
  
I can't grow a mustache  
  
And I ain't got no season pass  
  
All I got's a moped...moped....moped.....  
  
It's like a bad movie  
  
She is lookin' through me  
  
If you were me, then you'd be  
  
Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"  
  
As I fail miserably,  
  
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
She's the girl all the bad guys want!  
  
((The music wraps up, and Krillin takes a bow.))  
  
Krillin: Thanks a lot, everyone!  
  
Selena: Heh, heh. Story of your life, eh Krillin?  
  
Krillin: Hey, that's not funny!  
  
Selena: Thanks a lot, guys! We'll see ya next chapter!  
  
((Curtain call.)) 


	5. Unlikely Couple

Unholy Crusade  
  
Act 2: Breaking Point  
  
Mini Series: Hunt for Android 17  
  
Chapter 5: Unlikely Couple  
  
((Author's Note: Those who aren't familiar with Final Fantasy 7 are in for a huge back story in the beginning of this chapter. Sorry if it bores you. The same goes with those who have played FF7.))  
  
Last time:  
  
Selena looked at Cell curiously.  
  
" What's with the 'we' and 'we'll' talk? Are you saying I should help you?"  
  
Cell looked at Selena.  
  
"Please? I might need it."  
  
Selena shrugged.  
  
"Sure. Okay, I'll help you out, but just this once, and that's it."  
  
Cell smiled slightly.  
  
"Fine by me."  
  
"Shake on it."  
  
"What?"  
  
Selena extended her hand.  
  
"Just to make it official. I mean, since when have we helped each other out?"  
  
Cell thought back to last night in the rain, but he decided not to bring it up.  
  
"Why exactly do I need to shake your hand?"  
  
"That's what you do when you make a truce, right?"  
  
Cell had to laugh.  
  
"You humans and your silly traditions...."  
  
He grabbed her hand and shook it anyway.  
  
"Now it is official. Are you happy?"  
  
Selena nodded, then sat down on the roof.  
  
"So, how long do we have to wait and what's Mako?"  
  
********************  
  
Cell looked out at the city scape before answering. A lot of the green haze of mako gas was disapearing, being eaten away by the oxygen, but it still wasn't safe to wander through. He sat down next to her.  
  
"We have time, so I think I can go into detail."  
  
He began to explain.  
  
"Mako is the life blood of the planet. In its natural state, it is a cold liquid that flows through every layer of the planet. Large amounts of it are as dangerous as molten lava, it can slowly burn a submerged body. Small amounts, like say....a glassful, are safe and can be consumed without much of a problem. When condensed into a gas, like our problem here, it is very lethal. The more spoiled and rotten, the deadlier."  
  
"Spoiled?" Selena asked. "How do you spoil liquid?"  
  
"In mako's case, it can spoil like food and grow bateria and smell of methane."  
  
Selena plugged her nose at that thought.  
  
"Yuck."  
  
"Spoiled mako is a horrible poison. As a gas, death is practically instant. The reason we aren't dead is because up here, the gas is thin. Its a heavy gas, so it settles to the ground and is taken apart by the oxygen molecules until it completely disapears. This process takes about thirty minutes."  
  
"Sheesh. Is it easy to get a hold of this stuff?"  
  
"No, it's very difficult. If you remember your history lessons, mako was used as a power source by a hi-tech monopoly called Shin-Ra."  
  
"I never went to school. What's Shin-Ra?"  
  
Cell would have face valted.....if he wasn't on a roof and instant death was directly under him.  
  
"A thousand years ago," he began, annoyed, "there was a high-tech city called Midgar, and it was run by a monopoly company called Shin- Ra.....which was run by the Shin-Ra family. Shin-Ra owned everything, from the cars on the streets to the coffee you drank. It controlled the media, the press, communications, and eventually the world. What made them so successful was their source of power: natural mako.  
  
"The mako they used was pumped from the earth by gigantic mako reactors, which gave all the cities and towns their power. However, not only did the mako give off such horrible pollution, but the life blood of the earth was being drained away. You could say that Shin-Ra was killing off the planet little by little.  
  
"But Shin-Ra didn't just use mako for power. They used it on people too."  
  
Selena raised an eyebrow at that, but kept quiet. Cell just continued.  
  
"Shin-Ra also had its own military, and then an elite army known as SOLDIER. The elite army is soaked in warm mako to provide super strength and stamina. One strange side effect, however, was that a SOLDIERs eyes would glow. This was known as 'mako eyes' and anyone with them was someone to look out for."  
  
"This is starting to sound familiar....." Selena bit her lip.  
  
"Well, one famous SOLDIER was the ingenius and demonic Sephiroth."  
  
Selena froze. Who DIDN'T know Sephiroth?!  
  
"So........the guy who did this....." she pointed to the town. ".....is a SOLDIER?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Cell shook his head. "Even SOLDIERs can be killed by mako gas. But having mako on hand.......it could be someone who has access to old Shin-Ra accounts." He hesitated a moment. "Or.......possibly could have bought it from the black market..........dammit, I don't know what to think....."  
  
Selena looked back out at the town. Most of the green fog was already gone.  
  
"I haven't heard anymore gunshots......" she said.  
  
"No...." Cell agreed. "But it's still not safe to go looking around."  
  
Selena got an idea and stood up.  
  
"Hey, can't we fly over the area and away from the gas? We won't get poisoned, will we?"  
  
Cell thought about that for a minute, then stood up.  
  
"Maybe not." he answered. "We could do that........but I don't want the Namek or the others to find me......"  
  
"Oh, yeah. There's that." Selena bit her lip again. "Well......I'm here."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So?! If they come here, I'll tell them what's going on and they'll leave you alone. They listen to me."  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"..........." Selena shook her head. "Look, we'll be fine. Let's go fly."  
  
"You can't fly."  
  
"........................." Selena glared at Cell. Then, she walked behind him, and hopped onto his back, piggy back style. Cell protested with a "hey!" before getting used to the weight.  
  
"Let's go." Selena suggested.  
  
"..................................." Cell glared at her over his shoulder. "Get off."  
  
"No. You fly and I'll hold on back here. Now, let's go!"  
  
Cell shook his head, and jumped from the roof. He hovered far up into the air, and slowly glided over the town.  
  
**************************  
  
Both Selena and Cell scanned with their eyes through the body ridden streets. Selena would constantly shift over Cell's shoulders to look around carefully. It was annoying Cell, but he didn't say anything. Finding the killer was more important.  
  
Then, a shot rang out from right below them. Cell stopped in mid air, and Selena hung onto his shoulders tightly.  
  
"He's down there, isn't he?!"  
  
Cell just growled, and scanned through the thin fog of green.  
  
He saw a shadow move, and tensed.  
  
"There!"  
  
Without thinking, he dove for it with Selena still on his back. She yelped in surprise, but held on as Cell roughly landed and ran after the shadow. She looked from over his shoulder as he took off after something that looked like a person running.  
  
She noticed the shadow turning an arm to them, and pointing a nasty looking hand gun.  
  
"Whoa!" She cried, ducking her head behind Cell's neck.  
  
Four shots fired one after the other, and the shadow ducked behind a building.  
  
Cell turned sharply after it, knocking Selena off his back. She rolled on her side before stopping on her stomach, then pulled herself up back to her feet.  
  
"Hey!" she shouted out where Cell had run off. "Wait for me!"  
  
She started to take off after him, but after a few steps stopped. One of the bodies was holding a Poleroid camera, and there was a picture in the slot. She walked up to it to investigate.  
  
The picture was completely developed, showing a full body shot of someone in a coat, pointing a gun at the camera.  
  
The man looked Asian, with long black hair that went to his shoulders. Under the tan coat, she could see a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and green sneakers.  
  
It looked like a late teen, maybe the same age as Selena.  
  
She took the picture with her, and ran off after Cell.  
  
'I think I just got a snapshot of our killer......'  
  
******************  
  
Cell was surprised the man ran as fast as he could. That was one of Selena's traits.  
  
Since when did the people of Earth run at cheetah speed?!  
  
He chased the attacker through allies and into open streets, only seeing long black hair and a tanned coat on the guy.  
  
In fact, was it even male?! He couldn't tell at this angle.  
  
The person then turned around again, pointing the gun at Cell. Cell braced himself; all four shots hit his chest but bounced right off thanks to his tough skin.  
  
The gun fired four more times in a row, one bullet grazing past Cell's left ear, and the others simply fell away from his head.  
  
Cell kept his sences as he and the man kept running.  
  
'Wasn't that the same handgun?  
  
'He fired four times.......but a gun like that should have six bullets in it......  
  
'How could two more fit in the gun? I didn't see him reloading.....'  
  
Then, the man turned around again and pointed the gun at Cell.  
  
'What kind of gun does he have?'  
  
He noticed a minute movement with the man's finger, then the gun began fireing automatic rounds at Cell. The android dodged to the side. The bullets weren't hurting him, but they were distracting him and slowing him down. He increased his running speed until he was catching up with the man.  
  
'Why isn't he getting tired yet?'  
  
Cell reached an arm out and swiped at the man's head. The man cried out slightly, making him lose his running speed. Cell tackled him, both rolled to the ground to a halt. The man kicked Cell off him, and manuvered away. Cell stood up, glaring the man in the face.  
  
He took note of every detail.  
  
Asian, male, long black hair, blue eyes, black and white shirt, jeans, green sneakers......  
  
Cell flicked his view to the gun pointed at him.  
  
......modified handgun.  
  
The man looked absolutely calm, as though he knew what he was dealing with......as though he was in complete control. Cell glared at him.  
  
'Who is this man? How could he be as strong and fast as me?  
  
'So many questions I must have the answer to...........'  
  
They stared at each other, not moving. Cell broke the stillness as his tail swayed lazily behind him. The man's eyes followed it for a moment before looking back at Cell. The tail then made a swift sweep up and over Cell's head. The man moved his head up at the sudden movement, and Cell struck.  
  
He knocked the gun from the man's hand and punched him in the gut. As the man suffered from that, Cell grabbed him by the head, and swung him into the side of a building. The man swiftly recovered, kicking Cell in the face and knocking him back. The man got on his two feet, and he rushed for the gun. Cell tried to catch him, but the man tumbled on his back as he grabbed his gun. The man put it back in his holster and reached for something else at his side.  
  
Cell lunged for him again, tail raised. The man moved out of his way swiftly, but was caught around the wrist by Cell's tail. The man dropped what he was holding: a black canister in the shape and size of a baseball.  
  
Green smoke started rising from the ball, right into Cell's and the man's faces. Cell suddenly started hacking and shaking, walking away and letting go of the man. The man, feeling just fine, made a hasty retreat into the city.  
  
Cell flew up as fast as he could, coughing hard and feeling his eyes water. As soon as he saw the top of a building, he flopped on it right on his stomach, breathing in hard. He heard himself wheeze with every breath.  
  
"Mako...." he coughed out. He kept coughing and wheezing as he stood up.  
  
'Where's Selena?'  
  
He senced her just a few blocks away, so he went to the edge of the rooftop and flew to her. He felt himself fall closer to the ground as he coughed. She noticed him immediately, and headed for him. He landed on his feet, but stumbled down to his knees and coughed into his hands.  
  
"What happened?!" Selena cried, running to him.  
  
"Mako gas....."  
  
Cell struggled with his voice, he could barely talk.  
  
"We......have to go......"  
  
"Yeah, let's get out of here. We can't find anyone in this gas filled place.....Where's the guy?"  
  
".....Got away......run....now....."  
  
They ran out at top speed, Cell continuing to cough uncontrollably. By the time they reached the woodland, he found that he was coughing more than he was breathing.  
  
He remembered the ground rushing to meet him as he passed out......  
  
***********************  
  
Selena lay quietly in her sleeping bag, looking up at the sea of stars above her. She couldn't sleep.  
  
Selena had a hard time telling Krillin and Sakura what she had to tell them. She put a lot of thought into her words, as she helped Cell find a place to rest and then walk back to her own camp.  
  
She couldn't believe she put a whole plan together.  
  
She remembered every word she told them, after explaining about the mako gas killer.......  
  
----Flashback----  
  
"Krillin....Sakura......I'm sorry, guys. We can't travel together for a while."  
  
"Selena-san?"  
  
"Why not, Selena?"  
  
"Because..........Cell and I made a truce. We're working together to catch this guy."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"But, Selena-san, you're enemies!"  
  
"Yeah, and I don't trust him. That's why I don't want you guys with me. What if he turns on me and tries to absorb me..........or one of you guys......."  
  
"Oh. I see. Well, Selena, Sakura and I can protect each other. You don't have to watch over both of us."  
  
"But I wouldn't forgive myself if he hurt one of you."  
  
"Selena......."  
  
"Krillin.....Sakura......can you both go on to Dublin without me?"  
  
"Dublin?"  
  
"It's eighty miles from here. Cell and I will catch this guy before he can get that far, I know that much. So, you guys just go there and avoid any towns. You can take my capsule cases too, I'm bringing some essentials with me."  
  
"Selena-san.......I don't wanna leave you....."  
  
"Oh, Sakura-chan, don't cry. I promise, once this is all over, I'll meet up with you guys in Dublin. Just.........just be careful......you and Krillin, okay?"  
  
".....okay...."  
  
"Alright. Well, I'll just pack up and go."  
  
"Wait, Selena.......what about Piccolo and Tien?"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"What if they find out about this? Piccolo's gonna kill you. I mean, teaming up with Cell."  
  
"Well, he'd know what I'm trying to do. Don't worry about him, I can handle him by myself."  
  
"Alright, if you say so..........."  
  
"That'll do it. Well, bye guys. I'll see you in Dublin....."  
  
----End of Flashback----  
  
Selena remembered how Krillin looked so scared and doubtful, and Sakura was crying so bad. She felt bad having to leave them like that, but she had to for their own safety.  
  
She looked over at Cell. She had laid out another sleeping back, and set him on top of it to sleep. He stopped coughing, but he was breathing heavily and wheezing. She reached a hand out of her bag, and touched his shoulder gently. He was still warm.  
  
His eyelids squeezed together before they opened. Selena sat up, seeing that he was awake.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Cell nodded with a grunt before pushing himself up to a sit.  
  
"Where are we?" he asked, sounding more hoarse than naturally.  
  
"In the middle of the forest." Selena answered. "Far away from Middleton. What happened, did you breathe in too much of that mako stuff?"  
  
"He had a gas bomb." Cell explained. "It went off in our faces. I got away as quickly as I could."  
  
"And the guy?"  
  
"I believe he did the same, if he's not dead already."  
  
"Dead already?!" Selena scowled. "He had better not be."  
  
Cell had to smile.  
  
"You really want to kill him, don't you?"  
  
"Hell yeah. Probably as bad as I want you dead."  
  
Cell got up to his feet, looking around.  
  
"Where are your friends?!"  
  
Selena sighed.  
  
"Well, this looked like we would be a team for longer than I thought........so I sent them ahead to Dublin."  
  
Cell blinked at her curiously. Then, he smiled at her.  
  
"Did you think I would absorb them? Silly Selena, I wouldn't do that. Why would I?"  
  
"Hmph." Selena snorted, wondering how he managed to figure it out. "I don't trust you."  
  
"I don't trust you either, yet I decided to team up with you, because I trust your word."  
  
Selena decided not to say anything, as Cell stretched in comfort.  
  
"Well, we should get some sleep before we continue the search."  
  
"Sounds good. Hey, don't absorb me in my sleep, okay?"  
  
"Why would I do that?"  
  
Selena put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Don't I look like an apetizing midnight snack?"  
  
"Don't tempt me. Good night."  
  
"Yeah, good night."  
  
Selena lay back down in her sleeping back, and ducked into it. Cell headed for the nearest tree and climbed up it. He lay against a sturdy branch, and closed his eyes. He could hear himself wheezing slightly, but tried not to let it bother him.  
  
It didn't take long for both him and Selena to fall asleep.  
  
****************  
  
Cell awoke to very loud wheezing. He closed his beak and swallowed, trying to stop.......  
  
........then noticed that the wheezing was not his own.  
  
He looked down from his branch to see Selena still asleep in her sleeping bag, and three unfamiliar men walking around the clearing. One was looking around with glazed eyes, while the other two kept bumping into trees as they walked. All three of them were wheezing worse than Cell was.  
  
'Mako poisoning.' Cell diagnosed. 'Those three are lucky to be alive.'  
  
The one that was looking around then laid eyes on Selena. Cell noticed the man licking his lips hungrily between wheezes. He tensed when the man lumbered over to Selena. She was still alseep, even with all the noise around her.  
  
'She's too deep alseep. She won't be able to defend herself......'  
  
He noticed the man reach for Selena's head to pull her out of the bag........  
  
'........not on my watch.....'  
  
Cell launched himself from the tree and stuck his tail into the man's chest, pulling the man away from Selena. As Cell landed on his feet, he started absorbing the man. He felt the energy rush through his veins as the clothes fell limp to the ground.  
  
The man didn't make a sound during the process. The other two didn't even notice.  
  
'They are going to die anyway. I might as well put them out of their misery.'  
  
One after the other, the two men were absorbed. Cell picked up their clothes, and stuck them into the underbrush. The pile wasn't immediately visable, and Cell was satisfied with that. So, Selena wouldn't throw a fit in the morning. However, Cell wasn't satisfied with the energy he picked up. It wasn't enough for one day, he would have to conserve what he gathered through sleeping.  
  
He looked down at Selena. She was still sleeping! He wanted to fall over in embarassment. How could anyone sleep so soundly through all that noise?! Maybe it was possible for Cell to walk up and absorb her right now?!  
  
Cell heard more wheezing in the distance. There were at least two more survivors. Cell wasn't familiar with the side effects of mako poisoning, but he knew that a poisoned victom was dangerous. They practically became zombies, their minds were limited only to instinct. There was no known treatment, so the victoms were usually left to die.  
  
Cell didn't want another accident happening with Selena.  
  
He nodded at a simple decision. Then, he turned back to her.  
  
He quietly undid the zipper to the sleeping bag, and carefully picked her up. He held her in his arms then hovered slowly back up to his branch. He sat, then laid back while holding Selena on top of him.  
  
'There. This should keep her safe for tonight.'  
  
Suddenly, Selena moaned and moved in her sleep, making herself comfortable. She subconciously nuzzled her head into his chest and draped her arms over his shoulders. When she was still and quiet, Cell was left blinking.  
  
'This feels........very weird........  
  
'........but, it's something of pleasant.....'  
  
He put his hands on her back to secure her and closed his eyes.  
  
He noticed he wasn't wheezing anymore as he went back to sleep.  
  
**********************  
  
When morning broke, Selena awoke to complete comfort. She sighed and nuzzled into what she was laying on. Oh, it was so warm and firm, it was like her dream matress.  
  
She opened her eyes to see that her head was on a chest that was green with black speckals. She looked further up to see Cell's head attached to it (he looked to be asleep). She looked further down to see that she was laying on top of his body.  
  
This wasn't possible.......unless.......  
  
"Aaarg!" Selena shouted, moving off of him. "You perverted bastard!" Then, she dropped about eight feet. "AAAAAAAAAA! OOF!"  
  
She picked herself off the ground and looked up at Cell. He had sat up and was laughing at her. She pulled down an eyelid with one finger and stuck her tongue out at him. He crossed his arms and smiled.  
  
"There is an explanation for that."  
  
"I'll bet, you horny letch!"  
  
"HEY!" Cell yelled, insulted and blushing. "Let me explain, will you?"  
  
"Fine." Selena rolled her eyes and looked at him. He explained what had happened last night with the mako poisoned men and how her safety was at stake. He only said he fought them off, not that he absorbed them. Selena rolled her eyes again.  
  
"Don't do that again, okay? What was wrong with waking me up?"  
  
Cell jumped down from the tree and sneered.  
  
"You slept through the entire thing. Why would I try waking you up after that?"  
  
Selena frowned.  
  
"So, don't we have a killer to find?"  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
Selena packed up her supplies and got dressed behind a tree. Afterward, they both started the walk to the next town.  
  
"So," Cell asked as they started walking, "where do we go next?"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED!  
  
*******************  
  
END OF EPISODE BONUS!  
  
*******************  
  
((Selena is dressed in Yuna's outfit from FFX-2, Sakura is dressed in Yuna's outfit from FFX. Cell is off in the corner in an Al Bhed wetsuit, trying to take that funky yellow mask off his face.))  
  
Cell: **muffled** Mmmm-mmm-mmph!  
  
Selena: **waves her hand at him** Oh, whatever. **waves at the readers** ^^! Hi, guys. Since Masq is on a full-fledged Final Fantasy kick, I thought holding a FF concert would make her day. The song is "Real Emotion" from the upcoming Final Fantasy X-2! **twirls, showing off her costume** As you can see, I'm in Yuna's new fashion style. I'm sure Masq is gonna love this!  
  
Masq: **stomps up to Selena angrily** What the hell are you wearing?!  
  
Selena: **looks at Masq** Huh?  
  
Sakura: **looks up at Masq** Aren't we pretty, Masq-sama?  
  
Masq: ^^! **kneels down to Sakura** Yes, you're very pretty. You have a lovely costume.  
  
Selena: Ahem!  
  
Masq: **glares at Selena** Traitor.  
  
Selena: Huh? What?  
  
Cell: **takes his mask off, finally** Selena, I tried to tell you. Masq has a deep loathing for X-2!  
  
Selena: **turns to Cell** How come?  
  
Masq: You're wearing it.  
  
Selena: **frowns** That's it? Just the costume?  
  
Masq: Don't get me started. Also, the plot sounds weak, they turned Yuna into a Lara Croft-wannabe, and..... **gets really big, manga style** NO AURON! WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!  
  
Selena: **sweatdrop** Sheesh, don't get mad at me. I didn't make the game.  
  
Masq: **waving her arms around** Play the song, fine. But, Selena, I demand that you change into another outfit.  
  
Selena: Sorry, can't. It's too recognizable to leave out. And if you think I'm wearing napkins and dental floss like Rikku is gonna, no way.  
  
Cell: O.O! THAT skimpy? I gotta check this game out!  
  
Masq: **glares at Cell** Put that mask back on. I don't wanna hear another word out of your mouth.  
  
Cell: **sad puppy face** But I can't breathe or see in it......  
  
Masq: **leaves** Whatever. I think I'm skipping this performance out.  
  
Sakura: ??? **very confused**  
  
Selena: **chuckles nervously** Heh, heh...... Well, the show must go on..... Let's get on stage people.  
  
Cell: **takes point, throwing the Al Bhed mask away** Krillin's got everything set up on stage. Uh.....and what's his costume again?  
  
Selena: X-2 Rikku.  
  
Cell: O.o!  
  
Selena: **laughs** I'm kidding. He's Tidus.  
  
Cell: ....... You're very scary sometimes.......  
  
((It's a full house as the curtain rises from the stage.))  
  
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, the Antagonists are proud to perform for you "Real Emotion" by Koda Kumi!  
  
((The crowd cheers. The sterio kicks on, and Krillin and Cell back up with keyboard and drums. Selena and Sakura are at the mikes. Author's note: Sorry, no translation available.))  
  
Background:  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
I can't hear you  
  
Selena:  
  
ano hi kokoro no kanata ni egaiteta basho ni iru  
  
tohou ni kuretetari suru keredo mou modorenai  
  
yume ni mita katachi to wa  
  
nanimokamo ga chigau  
  
genjitsu ni wa... memai sae suru  
  
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou  
  
maketakunai  
  
mou tada hashiru shikanai kono mune ni  
  
kikoetekuru  
  
kimi wa hitori jyanai  
  
Background:  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
I can't hear you  
  
Selena:  
  
kesshite furimuki wa shinai anata ni wa toyoranai  
  
nanika ga areba kanarazu suguni kite kureru kara  
  
ima boku ni dekiru koto  
  
sore wa shinjiru koto...  
  
shinjitsu nara kono mune ni aru  
  
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou  
  
sasaeru no wa  
  
sou anata ga oshietekureta subete  
  
ima no watashi  
  
daraka, hitori jyanai  
  
((Intermission. Selena jams to the music, making some of the guys whistle and cat call. Sakura just waves cutely, making the younger viewers yell "KAWAII!"))  
  
Selena and Sakura:  
  
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou  
  
kanjitemo  
  
anata ga me o tojita nara soko ni iru  
  
kizuna ga aru  
  
dakara, hitori jyanai  
  
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou  
  
maketakunai  
  
mou tada hashiru shikanai kono mune ni  
  
kikoete kuru  
  
kimi wa hitori jyanai  
  
Everybody:  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
What can I do for you  
  
I can't hear you  
  
Selena: *blows a kiss at the audience* I can't hear you.....  
  
((Music winds down, the crowd cheers like crazy))  
  
Selena: **winks** We'll have to make this up to Masq now. Can some of you reviewers out there recommend more songs for us to sing? We'd appreciate it! See you all until next time!  
  
((Curtain call)) 


End file.
